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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH, Director 

Water-supply Paper 273 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES 
OF KANSAS 

BY 

HORATIO NEWTON PARKER 

WITH A 

Preliminary Report on Stream Pollution by 
Mine Waters in Southeastern Kansas 

BY 

E. H. S. BAILEY 



PREPARED IN COOPERATION WITH THE 
KANSAS STATE BOARD OF HEALTH 





WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1911 



DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH, Director 



Water- Supply Paper 273 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES 
OF KANSAS 3 7 



BY 



9^1 



HORATIO NEWTON PARKER »J7'- 

WITH A 

Preliminary Report on Stream Pollution by 
Mine Waters in Southeastern Kansas 

BY 

E. H. S. BAILEY 



PREPARED IN COOPERATION WITH THE 
KANSAS STATE BOARD OP HEALTH 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1911 



^ 



V 






'N 



^ ^^ 



^ 



^"^ 
^ 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction 9 

Acknowledgments 12 

Remarks on chemical analyses of water 14 

Significance of mineral constituents of water 15 

Classification of waters 20 

Topographic features of Kansas 21 

Geology and underground waters 23 

General features 23 

Paleozoic rocks 23 

Carboniferous system 23 

Mississippian series 23 

Pennsylvanian series 24 

Permian (?) series 24 

Mesozoic rocks 25 

Cretaceous system 25 

Lower Cretaceous or Comanche series 25 

Upper Cretaceous series 25 

Dakota sandstone 25 

Character and distribution 25 

Water supplies 27 

Benton group 28 

Niobrara formation ' 28 

Pierre shale 29 

Cenozoic rocks 30 

Tertiary deposits 30 

Distribution and character •. 30 

Water supplies 31 

Quaternary deposits 34 

Pleistocene system 34 

Equus beds 34 

Drift 35 

Hardpan '. 36 

Gumbo 36 

Loess 36 

Waters of the Pleistocene rocks 37 

Recent deposits 38 

Alluvium 38 

Sand hills 39 

Artesian water 39 

Conditions of occurrence 39 

Meade artesian area 40 

Artesian water of Dickinson County 43 

Artesian water from the Ozark dome 43 

3 



4 CONTENTS. 

Geology and underground waters— Continued. Page. 

Deposits notably affecting quality of water _ 45 

Salt 45 

Gypsum '. 49 

Quality of underground waters, by counties 50 

Allen County 50 

Anderson County 51 

Atchison County 52 

Barber County 53 

Barton County , 53 

Bourbon County 58 

Brown County 59 

Butler County 60 

Chase County 61 

Chautauqua County 62 

Cherokee County 63 

Cheyenne County 65 

Clark County 66 

Clay County 68 

Cloud County 68 

Coffey County. : . . . 70 

Comanche County — 70 

Cowley County 71 

Crawford County 73 

Decatur County 76 

Dickinson County 77 

Doniphan County. 80 

Douglas County 80 

Edwards County 82 

Elk County 84 

Ellis County ./.... 84 

Ellsworth County 85 

Finney County 87 

Ford County 91 

Franklin County 95 

Geary County : . . 95 

Gove County .■ 96 

Graham County 97 

Grant County , 98 

Gray County ; 99 

Greeley County 101 

Greenwood County 102 

Hamilton County 103 

Harper County 106 

Harvey County 108 

Haskell County 110 

Hodgeman County 110 

Jackson County 112 

Jefferson County '. 113 

Jewell County 113 

Johnson County 116 

Kearny County ". 116 

Kingman County 119 

Kiowa County , 121 



CONTENTS. 5 

Geology and underground waters — Continued. Page, 
Quality of underground waters, by counties — Continued. 

Labette County 123 

Lane County 123 

Leavenworth County 124 

Lincoln County 125 

Linn County 126 

Logan County 126 

Lyon County 128 

McPherson County ' 128 

Marion County 132 

Marshall County 134 

Meade County 136 

Miami County 138 

Mitchell County 139 

Montgomery County 140 

Morris County 141 

Morton County '. 143 

Nemaha County 144 

Neosho County 144 

Ness Coimty . 145 

Norton County 149 

Osage County 150 

Osborne County 150 

Ottawa County 153 

Pawnee County 153 

Phillips County 157 

Pottawatomie County 160 

Pratt County 160 

Rawlins County 162 

Reno County.-.. 163 

Republic County : 167 

Rice County 168 

Riley County 170 

Rooks County 172 

Rush County 173 

Russell County 175 

Saline County 177 

Scott County 179 

Sedgwick County 180 

Seward County 182 

Shawnee County 183 

Sheridan County 185 

Sherman County : 185 

Smith County 187 

Stafford County. .• 188 

Stanton County • 189 

Stevens County '. 190 

Sumner County '. 190 

Thomas County : 192 

Trego County 193 

Wabaunsee County 194 

Wallace County 195 

Washington County 196 



6 CONTENTS. 

Geology and underground waters — Continued. 

Quality of underground waters, by counties — Continued. Page. 

Wichita County 198 

Wilson County 199 

Woodson County 199 

Wyandotte County 200 

Surface waters '. 202 

General features of drainage . . . ." 202 

Missouri River drainage basin 202 

Missouri River above Kansas City 202 

. Description 202 

Quality of water 203 

Kansas River system 212 

Principal rivers 212 

Smoky Hill River basin 212 

Description 212 

Quality of waters 215 

Saline River 219 

Solomon River 223 

Republican River basin 228 

Description 228 

Quality of water 232 

Republican River at Junction 232 

Sappa Creek 234 

Prairie Dog Creek 235 

Other tributaries 237 

Kansas River 238 

Description 238 

Quality of water 241 

Main River 241 

Minor tributaries 248 

Big Blue River r. 249 

Delaware River 254 

Osage River basin 257 

Description 257 

Quality of water 259 

Osage River 259 

Marmaton River 267 

Arkansas River drainage basin 269 

Arkansas River 269 

Description 269 

Quality of water 275 

Tests of Arkansas River and its tributaries in Colorado 275 

Main River in Kansas 275 

Bear Creek 288 

White Woman Creek 289 

Pawnee Creek ": 289 

Wain at Creek 290 

Rattlesnake Creek 291 

Cow Creek 291 

Little Arkansas River 292 

Ninnescah River 292 

Slate Creek 293 

Walnut River 294 



. . CONTENTS. 7 

Surface waters — Continued. 

Arkansas River drainage basin — Continued. ■ Page. 

Grouse Creek 298 

Salt Fork of Arkansas River 299 

Description 299 

Nesgatunga and Big Mule Creeks 299 

Medicine Lodge River 300 

Chikaskia River _ 303 

Cimarron River 305 

Verdigris River 312 

Fall River 317 

Elk River 321 

Caney River * 322 

Neosho River 322 

Cottonwood River 335 

Spring River 340 

Pollution of streams by waste from oil refineries 347 

Preliminary report on stream pollution by mine waters in southeastern Kansas, 

by E. H. S. Bailey 349 

Introduction 349 

Waters analyzed 351 

Water from Spring River and its tributaries 351 

Character of water 351 

Comparison of sulphates 353 

Water from mines and concentration mills 354 

Coal-mine waters 357 

Effect of mine waters on fish 358 

. Effect of mine waters on metals 359 

Acknowledgments 361 

Index : 363 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



/ Page. 

Plate I. Geologic map of Kansas 24 

Figure 1. Map illustrating stream pollution by mine drainage. .-. 352 



QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



By Horatio Newton Parker. 



INTRODUCTION. 

The variety of uses to which water is put by man has increased 
with the evolution of the race. Uncivihzed people used water 
chiefly for drinking, cooking, and cleansing, and the very httle 
necessary to suffice them could be found in all except the arid regions. 
When men became herdsmen, roving from place to place with their 
animals in search of good grazing, more water was needed; wherever 
the water supply was short various devices were adopted to cojiceal 
wells, and many bitter feuds rose out of disputes over water supplies. 
Later, when men adopted permanent abodes and became farmers, 
came the additional need of water for irrigating crops ; the develop- 
ment of mining created another use for water; and finally came the 
complex life of the modern city, which demands water for a multitude 
of uses besides slaking thirst, washing, and cooking. To supply the 
necessities of a twentieth century city a public water supply must 
be both sufficient in quantity and of satisfactory quahty. An inade- 
quate supply tends to foster habits of uncleanfiness, hampers indus- 
trial development, and exposes a city to the danger of destruction 
by fire. The quality of the water of a public supply may be as im- 
portant as its abundance, though for some uses quahty is unimportant. 
For fire protection salt water does as well as fresh, but for many other 
uses to which water is put its character is of prime importance. For 
example, so many ravaging epidemics of Asiatic cholera and typhoid 
fever have been traced to polluted water that it is now recognized 
that water defiled by human excrement is unsafe to drink because at 
all times it is hkely to contain the germs of disease. Water used in 
washing wool must be soft in order that the wool may not feel harsh. 
Soft water, also, must be used to wash goods that are to be dyed in 
order that they may take the dyes evenly. In laundering, hard 
waters are most undesirable because they consume a great deal of 
soap and because clothes washed in them are not bright and white. 
In locomotive and stationary boilers the quality of water used is of 
the utmost importance, for some waters corrode them and others 

9 



10 QUALITY OP THE WATEE SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

deposit in them a scale which by reason of its nonconductivity 
increases the coal consumption and also renders the boiler liable to 
explosioh. These are but a few examples of the industries which 
might be mentioned in which the quality of water used is a factor in 
determining the grade of goods and the cost of their production. 

A public water supply may be developed from either surface or 
underground sources. In the United States more public water sup- 
plies are derived from ground water than from impounded surface 
waters or from flowing streams; but the total consumption of water 
in cities using ground water is far less than in those using surface 
waters. This is because ground-water supphes sufficient for a large 
city are available only in exceptional localities, and growing cities 
must therefore in time seek supplies from surface waters. 

The best surface-water supplies are those that are collected in 
large reservoirs on catchment areas that are sparsely populated and 
that are guarded by sanitary police. Under such conditions pollu- 
tion is reduced to a minimum, and while the water is held in the big 
storage reservoirs its suspended matter settles out, it is bleached by 
the sunlight, and the pathogenic bacteria that it may carry are 
reduced in numbers by sedimentation, insolation, and other factors. 
Water supplies of this kind rank amongst the safest, yet it seems 
impossible to protect them against chance pollution, and some of 
the most disastrous epidemics of typhoid fever that have occurred in 
this country originated on drainage areas that were believed to be 
perfectly guarded from contamination. 

The worst surface supphes are those that take the unpurified water 
of rapidly running streams whose drainage areas above the intake of 
the waterworks are thickly populated. Such water is too polluted to 
be safely potable, and it is hkely to be so impaired by trade wastes as 
to be inferior for use in the arts and industries. 

It is evident, therefore, that an ample supply of good water is not 
easy to obtain. Consequently water has a money value which is 
small in some regions but is greatly enhanced wherever scarcity of 
rainfall, unfavorable geological conditions, a dense population, or 
unrestrained pollution makes the competition for water keen. So 
great is the value of water in some sections of the country that cor- 
porations have secured control of the best sources of supply, and 
municipalities have spent immense sums of money in procuring 
waters. In one State, at least, the burden of procuring water sup- 
plies in its most densely populated section has been deemed too 
great for the cities to shoulder, and the State itself has developed a 
comprehensive plan for providing water for the cities and a part of 
the works are already in operation. Another State, recognizing that 
its plenteous water supply might be made a factor in attracting 
capital and in other ways making its cities prosperous, has passed a 



INTRODUCTION, 



11 



law prohibiting the piping of its natural waters outside of the State 
boundaries. In fine, water is a great natural resource with a con- 
stantly increasing value. 

Ta take account of this asset of the State of Kansas has been the 
object of this investigation. Measurements of the quantity of water 
flowing in the larger rivers of Kansas were carried on by the United 
States Geological Survey through a period of years and a summary 
of the records at each river station is published in the appropriate 
place in this paper. To determine the quality of surface waters, 
sampling stations were established as follows : 

Sampling stations on Kansas rivers. 



River. 


Sampling station. 


Collector. 


Period. 




Deerfleld 


/Chas. E. Gordon 


JDec. 11, 1906, to Dec. 2, 1907. 

}Nov. 26, 1906, to Dec. 7, 1907. 

Dec. 7, 1906, to Dec. 10, 1907. 
Dec. 19, 1900, to Dec. 20, 1907. 




\C. E. Hogle. 




Great Bend 


Do 


/M. L. Roseborough 

\S. M. Smith 

A. L. Newman 


Do 


Arkansas City 


Big Blue 


Ed. MarkshefEel 




Argonia 


E. McCann 


Nov. 30, 1906, to July 5, 1907. 
Nov. 30, 1906, to Nov. 30, 1907. 










John M. Hilton 


Dec. 4, 1906, to Dec. 3, 1907. 




Perry 


C. G. Hart 


Jan. 4 to June 28, 1907. 


Do 


Valley Falls 


Geo. Harmon 

J. J. Carroll 


June 12 to Nov. 29, 1907. 


Fall 




July 1, 1907, to June 10, 1908. 
Dec. 29, 1906, to Dec. 31, 1908. 


Kansas 


Holliday 


E. W. Johnson 


Marmaton 


Fort Scott 


Jas. Burton 


Feb. 1, 1907, to Feb. 1, 1908. 






/Lou Bedwell 


jjan. 22, 1907, to Sept. 11, 1907. 


Medicine Lodge 


\R. L. Vandusen 


Kansas City, Mo 

Emporia 




E. M. Purdue 


Oct. 4, 1906, to Oct. 21, 1907. 


Neosho 


Frank A. Bacon . .. 


Dec. 5, 1906, to Dec. 5, 1907. 


Do 


Oswego 


Nelie Nafus 


Dec. 11, 1906, to Dec. 9, 1907. 


Osage 




J. W. L. Gray 


Nov. 29, 1906, to Nov. 30, 1907. 




Long Island 


/Frank Swart 


JDec. 6, 1906, to Dec. 4, 1907. 

Nov. 26, 1906, to Sept. 10, 1907. 
Nov. 27, 1906, to Nov. 29, 1907. 




\A. H. Mischke 


Junction i 


Republican 


J. H. Rathert 








Sappa Creek. 


Oberlin 


C. S. Maddox 


Nov. 28, 1906, to Jan. 9, 1907. 


Smoky Hill 


Lindsborg 


P. E. Gibson 


Nov. 27, 1906, to Nov. 29, 1907. 




Beloit 


A. T. Rodgers 


Dec. 1, 1906, to Dec. 5, 1907. 


Spring 


Baxter Springs 


Paul E. Mason 

D. M. Blair 

Winfleld Boiler Mill & 
Elevator Co. 


Dec. 1, 1906, to Nov. 30, 1907. 




Dec. 11, 1906, to Dec. 10, 1907. 


Walnut 


Winfleld 


Dec. 1, 1906, to Nov. 26, 1907. 









At each of these stations there was collected each day a 111 cubic 
centimeter sample of water, which was sent to the University of 
Kansas at Lawrence. There the samples for each 10 successive 
days were combined into a single composite sample, which was 
analyzed. The quality of the minor afiluents was approximated by 
water assays that were made in the field by representatives of the 
United States Geological Survey, and the quality of the ground waters 
of the State was determined by analyses and assays. To find out 
how fully and how wisely the waters of the State had been utilized, 
the public water supplies were investigated, and the sewerage and 
methods of disposing of offal in the cities were looked into in order 
that the injury done to surface and underground water by sewage 
and other wastes might be known. In connection with these studies 



12 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KAIstSAS. 

samples of water were tested at the University of Kansas for the 
presence of Bacillus coli. 

This report, which presents the results of the investigation, also 
describes briefly the salient features of the geology of the State in 
order that its relation to the water supply may be understood. 

The field work covered the period from October 5, 1906, to Feb- 
ruary 9, 1908. 

It is believed that although the details of certain areas yet 
remain to be worked out, the fundamental facts concerning water 
supplies in Kansas are fully set forth. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 

The investigation of the quality of Kansas waters was prosecuted 
under a joint agreement between the Kansas State Board of Health 
and the United States Geological Survey. As originally planned, 
the work was of broader scope than the results in this report indi- 
cate, but defects in the law passed by the Kansas Legislature pro- 
viding for the investigation made certain funds that it was intended 
to appropriate unavailable, and the work had to be curtailed. 

The United States Geological Survey paid the salary of an engineer 
in the field for 16 months, the expenses of operating 23 sampling 
stations for 11 months, and those of writing and publishing this report. 
The State Board of Health of Kansas paid for the maintenance of 
23 sampling stations for one month and of 1 station for a year. The 
board also paid the traveling expenses of an engineer in the field. 
Dr. S. J. Crumbine, secretary of the board, made many useful sug- 
gestions pertaining to the work and furthered it in every possible way. 

As the law of Kansas provides that the scientific work of the State 
board of health shall be done at the University of Kansas, the univer- 
sity became an active participant in the study. Through Chancellor 
Frank Strong, to whom hearty thanks are due for his sincere efforts to 
carry the work to a successful conclusion, the facilities of the chemical, 
bacteriological, engineering, and geological departments of the uni- 
versity were made available. In the chemical laboratories, under 
the direction of E. H. S. Bailey, F. W. Bushong, Archie J. Weith, 
and others analyzed the composite samples from the 23 sampling 
stations on the principal streams of the State. In the bacteriological 
laboratories, under the direction of M. A. Barber, W. A. Stearin 
tested for the presence of Bacillus coli samples of water which were 
forwarded for examination from the many public water supplies of 
the State by an engineer of the United States Geological Survey. 
In the department of civil engineering F. O. Marvin was often con- 
sulted, and W. C. Hoad, in his capacity as sanitary engineer of the 
State board of health, supplied descriptions of waterworks and sewer- 
age systems that were built after field work by the United States 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. • 13 

Geological Survey was closed. In the department of geology Eras- 
mus Haworth, State geologist, gave valuable assistance. As State 
geologist he granted permission to have copies of the geologic map 
of the State that was prepared under his direction, and that appears 
in this report, struck from the stone owned by the Kansas Univer- 
sity Geological Survey. Attention should be called to the fact that 
a-lthough the State geologist has permitted the map to appear with a 
slightly different legend from that prepared by him, his approval 
of the changes is not necessarily implied. 

The chemical analyses in the section of this report that treats of the 
quality of ground waters are almost wholly the work of- industrial 
chemists who have generously given their work for publication. For 
this liberality particular thanks are offered W. A. Powers, chief 
chemist of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway; M. Miller, 
superintendent of water service, Missouri Pacific Railway; N. F. 
Harriman, chemist and engineer of tests. Union Pacific Railroad; 
J. B. Berry, chief engineer of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific 
Ra^ilway; T. E, Calvert, chief engineer, and M. H. Wickhorst, engi- 
neer of tests, of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad; C. R. 
Gray, second vice president of the St. Louis and San Francisco Rail- 
road, and the Kennicott Water Softener Co. The analyses by these 
chemists and by others were stated in hypothetical combinations 
and have been recalculated to the ionic form in the offices of the 
United States Geological Survey. 

In the summer of 1905 Edward Bartow and a representative of the 
United States Geological Survey made many water assays in the val- 
leys of Verdigris, Spring, and Neosho Rivers, and these assays appear 
in this report. All the water assays that are published in this vol- 
ume were made by H. N. Parker, of the United States Geological 
Survey, unless it is specifically stated that they were made by some 
one else. 

The stream flow data that appears in this report was compiled 
from the records of the United States Geological Survey by R. H. 
Bolster. 

Many citizens of Kansas helped on the work. The Kansas Sanitary 
League and the. Kansas Water, Gas and Electric Association indorsed 
the investigation and helped through their secretaries, W. A. S. Bird 
and James D. Nicholson. J. W, Berrynaan, of Ashland; C. L. Becker, 
of Ottawa; W. E. Hutchinson and O. L. Helwig, of Garden; W. W. 
Cockins, jr., of Crooked L ranch, Meade; C. D. Perry, of Claremont 
ranch, Englewood; W. E. Sweezy, of Junction; and B. F. Eyer, of 
Manhattan, have all assisted in different ways. A. T. Rodgers, of 
Beloit; C. S. Maddox, of Oberlin; A. L. Newman, of Arkansas City; 
the Winfield Roller Mills & Elevator Co., the St. Louis & San Fran- 
cisco Railroad, and the cities of Coffeyville, Fort Scott, Junction, 



14 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

• 

Manhattan, Oswego, and Valley Falls maintained daily sampling 
stations for the United States Geological Survey at their own expense. 
It is impossible to give credit to all who have supported the investiga- 
tion of the quality of Kansas waters, but the spirit in which the study 
was welcomed contributed to whatever degree of success has been 
attained. 

REMARKS ON CHEMICAt ANALYSES OF WATER. 

Water has been called the universal solvent, and though the state- 
ment is somewhat exaggerated, most substances of common occur- 
rence yield to its solvent action. Some things water dissolves very 
quickly, but others succumb to its attacks so very slowly that it is not 
apparent that solution is being effected. 

Kain and snow in the act of falling, before they have come in con- 
tact with the earth, are water in the purest state known in nature; 
but even such water is not absolutely pure, for in falling from the 
clouds the water dissolves from the atmosphere certain gases, such as 
carbon dioxide, and certain mineral substances, such as chlorides, 
derived from the dust which is wafted high into the air by the wind. 
Rain water, indeed, exhibits great differences in quality, for that 
wMch falls in the clear atmosphere of a high mountain peak is decid- 
edly purer than that which falls through the smoky, dirty air of a man- 
ufacturing city. But the amount of inorganic matter dissolved by 
rain and snow in falling from the clouds to earth is small, and such 
tests as have been made indicate that the total dissolved solids vary 
■from 2 to 10 parts per million.^ 

As soon as this ver^'^ slightly mineralized water reaches the ground 
it begins to attack actively the rocks on which it falls. In humid 
regions most of the readily soluble salts are washed out of the ground, 
and as the surface water does not remain long in contact with the 
soil it does not become higlaly mineralized. In such regions, therefore, 
the surface water is as a rule softer than that from wells and springs. 
In arid regions and in regions where rainfall is markedly deficient the 
processes of rock weathering keep pace with the leaching of the soil, 
and the easily soluble salts accumulate as fast as or faster than they 
are removed by water; hence when rain does fall that which runs 
off over the surface is very nearly as highly mineralized as the ground 
water. The water of springs and wells is likely to be hard, as it is 
derived from that portion of the rainfall which sinks into the ground 
and circulates so slowly through the rocks that solvent action is 
exerted for a long time; and unless the region comprises chiefly 
granitic and other igneous rocks very resistant to solution, the water 
may pick up considerable mineral matter, for most sedimentary rocks 

1 Richards and Woodman, Air, water, and food, p. 197, 



REMARKS ON CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF WATER. 15 

yield readily to solution. Temperature and pressure are also factors 
that in a measure determine the vigor of the solvent action of water. 

The ability of water to dissolve limestones and some other rocks 
is increased by its absorption of carbonic acid in passing through the 
upper layers of the soil, where the decomposition of organic matter 
is in process. Such rocks are very effectively attacked, as is shown 
by the caves and underground passages found in many limestone 
regions. Some of the ''sink holes" in the Kansas prairies have been 
caused by the subsurface solution of the limestone beds which allowed 
the land above the solution cavities to fall in. 

The amount of erosion and chemical denudation accomplished by 
the circulation of water is very great. Some inkling of its importance 
may be had from, studying the tables which show the amount of 
matter transported by the Kansas and other streams. (See espe- 
cially tables on pp. 243-247.) 

In presenting the results the terms ' ' hard ' ' and ' ' soft ' ' are applied 
to waters, and the several constituents are said to be low, moderate, 
high, or great. Such descriptive words are used in a purely relative 
sense and from the point of view of the Kansan. Most of the waters 
of the State are excessively mineralized as compared with the soft 
waters of New England, but this fact is unknown to the average citi- 
zen of the State, or at least he does not use the New England waters 
as a standard in grading the waters of his own State. He rates a 
water by comparing it with those waters in general use about him 
and people in other States do the same. Hence, although in Kansas 
and elsewhere the terms cited have a local and somewhat inexact 
meaning, they yet convey fairly definite ideas. In Kansas the 
waters that are generally called hard contain over 300 parts of HCO3, 
or over 40 parts of SO4, in equilibrium with calcium and magnesium, 
and in this report this interpretation of the popular term has been 
followed. In one other matter the public should be cautioned — that 
is, that the words "fair," "good," and "excellent," as used in this 
report in discussing mineral analyses of waters, have no reference 
whatsoever to the potability of the waters. 

The methods used in making complete mineral analyses of the 
samples from the daily sampling stations maintained by the United 
States Geological Survey in Kansas are those described by Dole.^ 

SIGNIFICANCE OF MINERAL CONSTITUENTS OF WATER. 

Mineral analyses of waters are made to determine the character 
and amount of mineral matter the waters hold in solution. Ordina- 
rily silica, iron, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, carbonates, 
bicarbonates, sulphates, nitrates, chlorides, and total dissolved 

1 Dole, R. B., The quality of surface waters in the United States, Part I, Analyses of waters east of the 
one hundredth meridian: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Oeol. Survey No. 236, 1909 pp. 9-26, 



16 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

solids are determined. In the more refined mineral analyses of 
waters, such as those of medicinal springs, it is customary to determine 
other elements, such as aluminum, arsenic, lithium, and manganese. 
These are usually present in minute amounts and are generally unim- 
portant in municipal and industrial supplies, but sometimes even 
these rarer metals are significant. There are varieties of Crenothrix, 
for instance, which instead of constructing their sheaths of the iron in 
the water, as the common variety does, utilize manganese or alumi- 
num for sheath building.^ 

The general import of the common mineral constituents of water 
are briefly discussed in the following pages, but the reader should 
remember that the statements are only broadly true, and that a 
chemist with a knowledge of waters of exceptional character would 
perhaps modify them, 

Silica and carbon dioxide are supposed to be dissolved independ- 
ently in water, the silica as a colloid and the carbon dioxide as a gas. 
The other constituents are supposed to be in chemical equilibrium, 
and the analytical results are expressed in terms of the radicles thus 
held balanced in solution. The radicles are iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), 
magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), carbonate (CO3); 
bicarbonate (HCO3), sulphate (SO4), nitrate (NO3), and chlorine (CI). 
The. many analyses made by chemists not connected with the United 
States Geological Survey originally expressed the constituents as 
being in hypothetical combination; but for the sake of uniformity 
such analyses have been recomputed in the ofiices of the Survey to 
the form of statement here adopted. 

Carbon dioxide (CO2) . — Free carbon dioxide is reported in but few 
of the analyses that appear in this report for the reason that in the 
course of the analytical work only a few tests for it were made. The 
determination of carbon dioxide should always be made in the field, 
because the amount contained in a sample of water changes almost as 
soon as the water is collected. 

The presence of much carbon dioxide in a water promotes the 
growth of microscopic organisms ^ and also effects the solution of lead, 
zinc, and copper from service pipes. ^ 

1 Jackson, D. D., A new species of Crenothrix: Trans. Am. Micr. Soc, vol. 23, 1901, pp. 31-39; The precipi- 
tation of iron, manganese, and aluminum by bacterial action: Jour. Soc. Chemical Industry, vol. 21, 1902, 
pp. 681-684; Crenothrix as a source of trouble in public water supplies: Eng. News, vol. 48, 1902, pp. 175- 
176. 

2 Whipple, G. C, and Parker, H. N., On the amount of oxygen and carbonic acid dissolved in natural 
waters and the effect of these gases upon the occurrence of microscopic organisms: Trans. Am. Micr. Society, 
vol. 23, 1901, pp. 103-144. 

3 Clark, H. W., An Investigation of the action of water upon lead, tin, and zinc, with especial reference to 
the use of lead pipes with Massachusetts water supplies: Thirtieth Ann. Rept. Massachusetts State Board 
of Health, pp. 542-585; Continuation of an investigation of the action of water upon metallic or metal-lined 
service pipe, and methods for the separation and determination of metals in water: Thirty-second Ann. 
Rept. Massachusetts State Board of Health, 1900, pp. 487-506. 



SIGNIPICAlSrCE OF MHSTEEAL CONSTITUENTS OF WATER. 17 

Silica (SiOj). — Silica is present in most waters only in small 
amounts and it is usually regarded as a constituent of minor impor- 
tance. In boiler waters it is an incrustant, however, and W. P. 
Headden ^ has noted that in some slightly mineralized waters which 
contain much siUcic acid the silica forms considerable quantities of 
scale. In one boiler, which had been in service four years and had 
been fed with artesian water, the incrustation formed on the tubes 
was one-fourth of an inch thick and consisted of silicic acid and lime, 
76 per cent of the former and 24 per cent of the latter, including a 
small amount of alkalies. Siliceous deposit has also been observed in 
steam pipes and vacuum pans in sugar refineries.^ 

Iron. — Iron, if found at all, is present in most natural waters only 
in small amounts, but waters contaminated by certain mine drainage 
and by certain industrial wastes carry very considerable quantities of 
iron. In some mineral springs iron is the constituent which imparts 
a medicinal value to the water, but ordinarily it is undesirable. A 
half part per million is detectable by taste and more than 4 or 5 parts 
make a water unpalatable. More than 2.5 parts per million in water 
used for laundering makes a stain on clothes. Iron must be removed 
from water from which ice is made or a cloudy discolored product will 
result. An iron content of over 2 or 3 parts per million in water used 
in the manufacture of paper will stain the paper. Iron is harmful in 
water used for steaming, for it is in equilibrium with acids which 
inside the boiler become dissociated, with the result that the free 
acids corrode the boiler plates; but the amount of iron carried in 
solution by most waters is so small that the damage it does to steam 
boilers generally amounts to little. In Kansas iron is found in some 
waters from the fluviatile deposits of Kansas River and in waters 
from coal and zinc mining regions, and it is sometimes present in 
other waters of the State. 

Waters having high iron content have in some places caused an 
immense amount of trouble and expense whe-n used as city supplies, 
for they favor the growth of Crenothrix to such a degree that the 
water pipes become clogged with the iron sheaths of the organism. 
The removal of iron from water is sometimes easy and sometimes 
very difficult. The processes for effecting the removal of iron have 
been carefully described by R. S. Weston.^ 

Aluminum. — Aluminum is usually present in water in such small 
amounts that it is unimportant save therapeutically. In steam 
boilers it forms an insignificant amount of scale. 

1 Brown artesian waters of Costilla County, Colo.: Am. Jour. Sci., 4tli ser., vol. 27, No. 160, p. 310. 

2 Am. Chemist, vol. 4, 1874, p. 245. 

3 The purification of ground waters containing iron and manganese: Proc. Am. Soc. Civil Eng., vol. 34, 
pp. 1324-1393. 

77836°— wsp 273—11 2 



18 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Calcium, — Calcium is the principal scale-forming constituent in 
water. In carbonate waters it forms soft scale in boilers. But it 
may be partially removed from such waters by the addition of lime. 
In sulphate and carbonate-sulphate waters calcium forms hard scale. 
These waters are often treated with soda ash to remove the calcium. 
Both carbonate and sulphate waters containing calcium are some- 
times treated in a preheater to remove the calcium. The heating of 
carbonate waters containing calcium results in the precipitation of the 
calcium as calcium carbonate, as the carbonic acid which holds the 
calcium in solution is driven off. The heating of sulphate waters 
carrying calcium results in the precipitation of the calcium as cal- 
cium sulphate, which is less soluble in hot than in cold water. Waters 
high in calcium and chlorides are apt to be corrosive to steam boilers. 
Waters containing calcium, carbonates, sulphates, and also sodium 
are in a measure self-corrective, the precipitation of calcium sulphate 
(hard scale) being largely or even wholly prevented. The behavior 
of such waters in boilers is difficult to predict, for in actual use they 
may form a sufficient quantity of hard scale to make trouble, or they 
may cause foaming. 

Calcium is one of the soap-consuming elements in water, and 
therefore waters with high content of calcium are expensive in the 
household and laundry because they increase the soap bill. 

For several other reasons it is important to know the calcium 
content of waters. In the salt industry, for instance, sulphate 
waters high in calcium must not be used to extract salt from the 
ground, for the salt evaporated from such waters will cake so hard 
that it is an inferior and sometimes an unsalable product. 

Magnesium. — ^Magnesium is present in waters that contain calcium 
but usually in smaller quantities. From carbonate waters in steam 
boilers magnesium is precipitated as magnesium carbonate or oxide 
which forms a scale. The other salts of magnesium are soluble and 
of themselves do not form scale, but in sulphate waters in which cal- 
cium is present they do. Sulphate Avaters containing calcium and 
magnesium form a very dense, porcelain-like scale, whereas carbon- 
ate waters carrying calcium and magnesium form a friable scale that 
is very easily removed. Waters containing nitrates, chlorides, or sul- 
phates, and considerable quantities of magnesium are likely to corrode 
boilers. 

Sodium and potassium. — In most of the analyses in this report 
sodium and potassium are not reported separately, it being the 
belief of the chemists that the amount of potassium is generally so 
small that it is unimportant except possibly therapeutically. As 
sodium is a constituent of common salt the waters of saline springs 
and wells are high in this element. 



SIGNIFICANCE OF MINEKAL CONSTITUENTS OF WATER. 19 

Carbonate and sulphate waters carrying large amounts of sodium 
and potassium together with considerable calcium and magnesium 
are likely to cause foaming in boilers, because in such waters precipi- 
tates of calcium and magnesium carbonates and of calcium sulphate 
are likely to form, and the fine particles of these precipitates serve 
as points from which steam is liberated. Sulphate and chloride 
waters high in sodium may act corrosively on boilers, but this tend- 
ency is not believed to be as great as in those sulphate and chloride 
waters in which the magnesium" content is high or as in those chloride 
waters having high calcium. 

Bicarbonates. — Many tests by water assay of the ground and surface 
waters of Kansas indicate that carbonates occur but seldom and only 
m small quantities. The analyses of the composite samples of sur- 
face waters at the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas 
point to the same conclusion, but these analyses and the assays show 
that bicarbonates are always present and frequently in large amounts. 

Carbonates. — In recomputing analyses to the form of statement 
adopted in this report, the calcium, magnesium, sodium, and other 
carbonates that appear in the results have been converted to the 
proper metallic radicle and the radicle CO3 because it is impossible to 
tell whether there were really some normal carbonates in the water 
or whether, as is most likely, only bicarbonates were present. 

Sulphates. — In Kansas, sulphates are common in ground waters 
from the Blue Rapids, Gypsum City, and Medicine Lodge gypsum 
areas, in the waters of wells and springs that tap the gypsiferous 
shales of the Dakota, in the water of shallow wells that tap the 
''underflow" of Arkansas River, in the water of streams that are 
cutting through the coal-measure shales, in the waters from wells 
sunk in these shales, and in the waters of streams that are contami- 
nated by acid mine waters from coal and zinc mines. The quality 
of these sulphate waters varies according to whether calcium, magne- 
sium, or sodium is predominant. Sulphate waters higher in calcium 
than magnesium and sodium come from the gypsum areas, the coal- 
measure shales, the gypsiferous shales of the Dakota, and the mining 
regions. These waters are commonly called "gyp" waters, and are 
disliked because of their hardness and because they form hard scale 
in boilers. Those sulphate waters in which sodium is present in 
greater quantity than the calcium and magnesium are often found 
in the shallow wells that derive their water from the "underflow" of 
Arkansas River. These waters locally are called "alkali" waters, 
and are so laxative as to be most unpleasant to those unaccustomed 
to their use. Moreover, they are apt to cause foaming in steam 
boilers. 

Chlorides. — The chlorides in Kansas waters are mostly derived 
from the solution of common salt which is widely distributed through 



20 QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

the State. (See pp. 45-49.) Most of the chlorides in the streams and 
wells probably come from the solution of saliferous shales which are 
of common occurrence. The quantity of chlorides carried by Kansas 
waters varies from the very small amount in the waters of the arte- 
sian wells at Meade, to the very large amounts in the flowing salt 
well at Larned and in other salt wells. The distribution of salt in 
Kansas is so irregular that it does not appear possible to construct a 
normal chlorine map of the State. 

Volatile and organic matter. — Nearly all waters contain organic 
and volatile matter. Spring and well waters usually carry only 
small amounts. Some ground-water analyses by unnamed analysts 
show such large quantities of this matter as to arouse the suspicion 
that the heading ''volatile and organic matter" conceals losses in 
the analyses. 

Total dissolved solids. — Total dissolved solids are determined by 
evaporating a measured quantity of water to dryness on the water 
bath. 

Hardness. — The hardness of water is of two sorts — temporary and 
permanent. Temporary hardness is due to calcium and magnesium 
in equilibrium with carbonates and bicarbonates. Most of the tem- 
porary hardness, but not all of it, can be removed by boiling. In 
many Kansas waters the temporary hardness is very great and the 
waters in which it is not marked are few. Permanent hardness is 
due to sulphates, chlorides, and nitrates of calcium and magnesium; 
these compounds are held in solution by the water itself. This sort 
of hardness may usually be partially removed, by adding certain 
chemicals to the water, and sulphate waters with a high calcium 
content may be partly softened by heating. 

CLASSIFICATION OF WATERS. 

All natural waters are more or less impure; that is, they contain 
in solution substances of different kinds and in widely varying 
amounts, and the quality of any water is determined largely by the 
properties of the materials which it holds in solution. 

Carbonates and bicarbonates of the alkalies and alkaline earths 
are common constituents not only of water which flows over the 
land, as rills, rivulets, rivers, and fresh-water lakes, but also of 
nearly all underground waters. Solutions of the carbonates and 
bicarbonates are hydrolized by the water and the hydrolized products 
impart to the water an alkaline quality. 

Sulphates, chlorides, and nitrates of the alkahes and alkaline 
earths, also present in natural waters, are not affected in this way, 
so that they impart a saline quality to the water in which they are 
dissolved. 



TOPOGBAPHIC FEATURES OF KANSAS. 21 

A classification of natural waters, based upon these considerations, 
is simple. A water in which the carbonates and bicarbonates ex- 
ceed the sum of the sulphates, chlorides, and nitrates may be desig- 
nated alkaline; a water in which the sum of the sulphates, chlorides, 
and nitrates exceeds the sum of the carbonates and bicarbonates is 
essentially a saline water. 

Besides alkaline and saline waters, there are acid waters. Most acid 
waters are abnormal, being produced by man in his practice of 
certain manufacturing and other industries. Thus from dye works, 
tin-plate works, and galvanizing works, highly acid efiluents escape 
into the stream and convert waters that are naturally alkaline 
into waters that contain much free acid. Likewise, the water that is 
drained or pumped from certain mines, such as coal, zinc, or iron 
mines, is so acid that it often makes the alkaline water of a stream 
into which it flows decidedly acid. 

In naming waters, the prominence of any basic radicle is indi- 
cated by prefixing the name of the base to the regular class name, 
as calcic, magnesic, alkaline, or, sodic saline, but the nomenclature 
takes account also of the chemical equivalents of the radicles, the 
amounts of which are expressed in parts per million of water. 

Chemical equivalents. 
(Oxygen=16.) 

Ca 20 

Mg.. , ... 12 

(Na+K) 23- 

CO3 , 30 

HCO3 61 

SO4 48 

NO3 62 

CI 35.5 

The chemical ratio of any two radicles present is the quotient of 
their amounts in parts per million divided by their respective 
chemical equivalents. 

TOPOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF KANSAS.^ 

Kansas is a part of the great plain which extends from Mississippi 
River to the Rocky Mountains. Its northern and southern bounda- 
ries stretch 400 miles east and west; its eastern and western reach 
200 miles north and south; and its exact area is 82,158 square miles, 
or somewhat greater than the combined areas of the six New England 
States, Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. 

The east end of Kansas has an average altitude of approximately 
850 feet. Bonita — about the highest point — being 1,075 feet above 
sea level. Altitudes along its western boundary rise and fall slightly 

1 Abstracted from Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 1, pp. 9-15. 



22 QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

from north to south, but hold close to an average of 4,000 feet above 
sea level. The north and south boundaries have approximately equal 
elevations, although the increase in height westward is more rapid 
along the northern side than along the southern. West of Independ- 
ence the southern line crosses the Flint Hills, which raise the elevation 
to 1,700 feet, from which it declines again to 1,066 feet at Arkansas 
City, whence it rises gradually. The lowest point in the State is at 
the Missouri Pacific Railway depot in Coffeyville, where the elevation 
is 734 feet. Thus it appears that the general slope of the State is to 
the east and, consequently, most of the streams flow eastward, but 
numerous diversions from this course are caused by local flexures and 
by the character of the materials in which the stream channels are 
eroded. Thus the streams in the northwestern and northeastern cor- 
ners of Kansas flow northeastward, those in the southeastern corner 
flow southwestward, and still others have southeasterly or southerly 
course. The great incline of the surface as a whole, which, from west 
to east, for the whole State averages nearly 8 feet to a mile, gives to 
many of the streams considerable current. In the western part of 
the State some of the streams have scarcely reached base level, while 
in the eastern part they have broad level valleys filled in from 20 
to 60 feet with alluvial material. 

The Flint Hills, ^ which occupy approximately the southern part of 
Chase County, the western border of Greenwood^ Elk, and Chautau- 
qua counties, and the eastern portion of Butler and Cowley counties, 
contain the headwaters of a number of streams. 

Fall River, Elk River, and Big Caney Creek, tributaries of Verdi- 
gris River, have their sources in many small streams on the eastern 
slope of Flint Hills; Cottonwood River, a tributary of the Neosho, 
sweeps in a broad curve around the northern end of the hills ; the South 
Fork of the Cottonwood heads in them, and the main Cottonwood 
receives tributary drainage from them. The streams on the west 
flank of the hills empty into Walnut River. In their southern por- 
tion Grouse Creek, flowing in a general southwesterly direction, divides 
the hills into two ridges, of which the eastern is known as Big Flmt Hills 
and the western as Little Flint Hills. The hills trend in a general north 
and south direction, the ridge being indicated on the map by the sig- 
nificant names of the towns of Grand Summit, Beaumont, Summit, 
and Flint Ridge. In their highest parts they are 1,550 feet above sea 
level. The Flint Hills owe their contour wholly to erosion, the strata 
lying in nearly horizontal positions, with a dip to the west of 10 feet 
to the mile and affording no evidence of disturbance. The hills are 
characterized by even terraces and ^mall canyons and gulches. 
Along the top of the terraces the several limestone systems of the 
region are seen in parallel ridges which are very conspicuous on 

1 Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 1, pp. 27-29. 



GEOLOGY ATSTD UNDEEGROUND WATERS. ^S 

account of the whiteness of the rock. The eastern slope of the hills is 
more abrupt, partly because of the slight western dip, but chiefly 
because the great shale and sandstone formation, which makes their 
eastern base, contains much less lime than the hills themselves, and 
so was much more easily eroded. Big Caney Creek, which flows 
nearly parallel to the trend of the hills, has cut off a ridge of this mate- 
rial. The hills get their name from the large amount of flint which 
is strewn over the surface in such profusion as to impede travel and 
which has been derived by weathering from the limestones. 

The State as a whole is an undulating plain, but within it are to be 
found valleys 200 feet deep, bluffs and mounds 300 feet high, over- 
hanging rocky ledges, and, in many streams, falls. Altogether, it is 
a country of great beauty and interest. 

GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

GENERAL FEATURES. 

Considered as a whole the geology of Kansas is simple ; but its details 
are intricate and require careful investigation before they can be 
truthfully interpreted. A brief description of the salient features is 
given herewith. The principal sources of the information were the 
volumes of the Kansas University Geological Survey, the report of 
the Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 1896 to 
the Legislature of Kansas, Professional Paper 32 of the United States 
Geological Survey, and occasional papers in the transactions of the 
Kansas Academy of Science, in the reports of the State Board of Agri- 
culture, and in the Kansas University Quarterly. (See PI. I.) 

PALEOZOIC ROCKS. 

CARBONIFEROUS SYSTEM. 
MISSISSIPPIAN SERIES. 

The oldest rocks found at the surface in Kansas belong to the 
Mississippian series and occur in the extreme southeastern corner of 
the State in an area not exceeding 30 square miles in extent. The 
series consists of dense limestones with interbedded chert rocks and of 
the residual products resulting from their superficial decay, and it 
forms a floor extending indefinitely westward, on which the younger 
formations of the State rest. In the eastern part of the State this 
floor dips westward, southwestward, or northwestward, and the 
superposed strata follow this inclination. This westward dip of the 
strata and the eastward slope of the land surface bring one stratum 
after another to the surface; but the westward dip continues scarcely 
one-third of the distance across the State before it is reversed to the 
east. The westward dip is produced by the Ozark Hills; the east- 
ward dip is effected by the mighty Rocky Mountain uplift. 



24 QUALITY OF THE WATER, SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

PENNSYLVANIAN SERIES. 

Resting upon the Mississippiari series, and exposed over the eastern 
quarter of Kansas, is the Pennsylvanian series, about 3,000 feet 
thick and commonly divided into the "Upper Coal Measures" and 
the "Lower Coal Measures." This series consists of alternating 
beds of limestones, sandstones, and shales, the shales making about 
four-fifths of its entire thickness. The limestones usually cover 
wide areas, extending hundreds of miles laterally, and being only 
10 to 100 feet thick, are very thin compared to their lateral extent. 
The sandstones vary in lateral extent from a few yards to a few miles — 
rarely over 40 — and they vary in thickness from a few inches to 50 
feet or more. The shale beds extend north and south across the 
State and from the east end westward as far as they are known. In 
some places they attain a thickness of nearly 300 feet. 

The shales of the Pennsylvanian series are almost impervious to 
water and rarely yield it in any considerable quantity. Moreover, 
the water obtained by drilling in the shales and deeply buried sand- 
stones is almost invariably salty. It is useless, therefore, to hope 
to get a large supply of good water by sinking wells to great depths 
in the Pennsylvanian rocks. The residual materials — clays, gravels, 
and sands that overlie this rock series in many places eagerly absorb 
moisture, and as they are bountifully fed by rain they afford water 
supplies, sufficient and acceptable for domestic use, everywhere in 
the eastern part of the State. 

PERMIAN (?) SERIES. 

Next above the Pennsylvanian series is a series of rocks which have 
been called Permian, but which have not been definitely correlated 
with the true Permian. All that is known is that they are younger 
than the Pennsylvanian rocks on which they" rest and older than the 
Cretaceous rocks which overlie them. They are exposed in a broad, 
irregular belt that extends north and south across the State from 
the northern boundary above Marysville to the southern boundary 
below Arkansas City. This so-called Permian has been divided by 
Prosser into the Big Blue "series" and the Cimarron "series."^ 

The Big Blue "series" is made up of shales and limestones. The 
shales, bluish gray, buff, or varicolored, contain locally beds of 
gypsum, rock salt, and dolomite; the limestones are cherty. The 
Cimarron "series" is commonly known as the "Red Beds" and is 
exposed in Kingman, Harper, Barber, the southern part of Comanche 
and Clark, and the western part of Sedgwick and Sumner counties. 
The strong dark-red color of the dominant rocks of this "series" is 
due to the large amount of red iron oxide that accumulated in the 
sands and gravels of which they are composed. In places, as for 

1 Jcnor. Geology, vol. 10, No. 7, p. 702, 1902. 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 273 PLATE I 




le Universit)" GeotogicBl Sm 
r Carboniferous 



GE(JLO(^I(: MAP OF lO^NSAS 

Prepai-ed under the direction of Erasmus Haworlli, State Geologist 
?°^<^^li^-"li-24 miles ,„,..,„ 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS. 25 

instance at Medicine Lodge, the "Red Beds" contain heavy deposits 
of gypsum and they are everywhere somewhat heavily minerahzed 
with salt and magnesium sulphate, as well as with other constituents 
of ocean water. Hence it seems probable that the sediments that 
form the "Red Beds" were deposited in water which was at one 
time part of the ocean, but which, by some movement of the earth, 
was cut off from it and then evaporated till the salts became much 
concentrated. The absence of fossils from most of the strata of the 
"Red Beds" irhplies the same origin, for the water doubtless became 
too highly mineralized to support life. In their eastern extension 
the " Red Beds" thin out, but westward they thicken to an unknown 
extent, probably being over 1,000 feet thick in Meade County. As 
the "Red Beds" are exceedingly fine-grained and compact, little 
water percolates through them. Therefore, wells sunk in the "Red 
Beds" yield only a scanty supply of water that is so highly mineral- 
ized by soluble constituents, particularly salt, that it is unfit for 
domestic use. The surface waters also are highly mineralized with 
calcium and sulphates in those localities where the gypsum deposits 
are exposed at or approach the surface. 

The Permian (?) shales, below the "Red Beds," are unlikely to 
afford water except from a sandstone stratum. Water found in 
either the shale or sandstone, however, would doubtless be unusable 
because of its high content probably of calcium and sulphates. As 
neither the "Red Beds" nor the rocks beneath them yield water of 
good quality, drilling should be stopped as soon as the "Red Beds" 
are encountered. In places the Permian (?) is mantled by a con- 
siderable thickness of unconsolidated material in which many wells 
are sunk. These yield water of variable character, but most of it is 

very hard. 

MESOZOIC ROCKS. 

CRETACEOUS SYSTEM. 
LOWER CRETACEOTTS OR COMANCHE SERIES. 

In places the "Red Beds" are immediately overlain by the 
Comanche series, which in this part of the country is about 200 feet 
thick. It consists of sandstones and shales, and is so limited in 
extent that it is not a factor affecting the water supply of Kansas. 

UPPER CRETACEOTTS SERIES. 

DAKOTA SANDSTONE. 

Character and distribution. — The Dakota sandstone underlies the 
western half of Kansas, outcropping in a zone 12 to 20 miles wide 
and extending from Washington County southward and southwest- 
ward to Arkansas River, in Rice and Barton counties, and thence 



26 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

up Arkansas Valley to Ford County, where it passes under the Ter- 
tiary deposits. It appears again in the valleys of Cimarron River 
and some of its branches near the Colorado State line. North of 
Arkansas River, in northwestern Kansas, it passes beneath the Ben- 
ton, Niobrara, Pierre, and Tertiary formations, probably lying more 
than 2,000 feet below the surface in the northwest corner of the 
State. In north-central Kansas it rests on the dark shales and salt 
beds of the so-called Permian, and to the south and southwest on the 
''Red Beds" or in places on the Comanche series. 

The stratigraphy of the Dakota is so variant that no very distinct 
subdivisions can be estabHshed. At the top of the formation, as 
defined by the Kansas University Geological Surve}^, is a thin bed of 
sandstone, in most places not much more than a foot thick. Next 
below are shales, varying in thickness from 10 to 20 feet, containing 
so much gypsum in loose crystals and thin seams that this member 
has been called the "gypsiferous horizon." Next comes a series of 
sahferous shales which give rise to many salt marshes and saHne 
springs. The shales range in thickness from 15 to 30 feet and are in 
many places underlain by a thin bed of hgnite, which is locally 2 feet 
in thickness. The hgnite is associated with shale, but commonly hes 
on or between sandstone. The characteristic member of the Dakota 
lies next below. It is a thick mass of sandstone with intercalated 
beds of clays of various kinds. The relations of the shale to the 
sandstone are exceedingly variable, but in the eastern part of the 
State well borings show first a series of sandstones, next a mass of 
shales of considerable thickness, in places amounting to 100 feet, 
then a second sandstone, 50 or 60 feet in thickness, and then an 
alternation of sandstones and shales, amounting in all to 300 feet 
or possibly somewhat more. 

The formation is so largely composed of sandstone that it is 
called Dakota sandstone, though it is probably true that in some 
locahties less than one-half the thickness of the whole Dakota is 
sandstone. The shales and clays of the Dakota vary much in texture 
and color. Not uncommonly they are black, but they are generally 
white, blue, or yeUow, with many bands of red or green. The 
darker shales are, as a rule, argillaceous, while the lighter colors 
indicate a greater amount of sand. In most places where it is 
exposed at the surface in Kansas, the sandstone looks rusty, but 
locally it may be gray, buff, or red, the shade being determined by 
the amount of brown iron oxide present. In Colorado the color is as 
a rule very Hght, even white in places. The quartz grains of which 
the sandstone is made up vary from one-eighth inch to perhaps one- 
thousandth inch in diameter, with occasional individuals outside 
these extremes. In most places the grains are remarkably even in 
size and the sandstone is of medium texture containing Uttle foreign 



GEOLOGY AND UNDEEGROUND WATEES. 2Y 

matter. The cementing material is calcareous and varies consid- 
erably in amount, in some places being sufficient to form a hard 
resistant rock, and in others being so deficient that the sandstone is 
soft . and crumbHng. As a rule the calcareous cement is so slight 
that the rock is porous and capable of holding and transmitting 
large quantities of water, but where the interstices between the 
grains are more nearly filled by the cement water conditions are not 
so favorable. 

The Dakota sandstone is distributed over the Great Plains gen- 
erally and extends westward beyond the eastern range of the western 
mountains. Originally it must have covered in the United States 
an area 1,000 miles wide by 2,000 miles long. To-day it outcrops 
in upturned strata along the western edge of the Great Plains and 
along their eastern edge. It is not now possible to fijc the original 
eastern limit of the Dakota, for large areas of it were removed by 
erosion, but remnants are found as far east as eastern Iowa and 
Minnesota. The Dakota sandstone is one of the most important 
water-bearing terranes in America. It occurs mostly in arid and 
semiarid regions and much of it is covered very deeply by younger 
formations. 

The Dakota slopes from the mountains to the eastward, except 
where local swells interrupt the general inchnation of the beds. 

Water supplies. — The sandstone is almost everywhere water-bearing, 
though there are places where the grains are too closely cemented, or 
are too choked with silt and other impurities that were deposited 
originally with the sand, to admit the passage of water. In por- 
tions of the State, particularly the northwest, the Dakota is buried 
so far beneath the surface that it has not yet been reached by deep 
borings. The water which the Dakota carries is chiefly derived 
from rains and snows that fall on its western exposed upturned 
edges, though large quantities are evidently supplied it by the North 
Platte, Bighorn, Yellowstone, and other streams that cross the 
formation. Colonel Nettleton ^ has estimated that at the Great 
Falls of the Missouri in Cascade County, Mont., as much as 834 cubic 
feet a second, or about 1,673 acre-feet a day, are lost by the river, and 
it is believed that nearly all of this vast amount enters the Dakota 
sandstone. Finally, in areas where the impervious rocks of the 
Benton group are absent, and the Dakota is immediately overlain 
by the Tertiary deposits, an opportunity is afl'orded for an exchange 
of water between the two formations. How extensive such contacts 
are is unknown, but it is certain that they exist in two or three places. 

As the outcroppings of the Dakota sandstone in Colorado, where it 
imbibes most of its water, are elevated far above the level of the 
Dakota in Kansas, the pressure of the wells there that reach it would 

1 S. Doc. No. 41, pt. 2, 1892, pp. 74-78. 



28 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

be very great were it not relieved in many places where streams have 
cut deep into the Dakota and also where the rocks outcrop at the 
eastern margin of the formation. However, the water rises in 
practically all of the wells that reach the Dakota and many of them 
are flowing. In the Dakotas and some other places artesian waters 
from this sandstone have a pressure of 400 pounds to the square inch. 

BENTON GROITP. 

The Benton group of rocks extends in a wide belt diagonall}^ 
across the State, from Republic into Ford and Finney counties, 
where it passes under the Tertiary deposits, reappearing again along 
the valley of Arkansas River in Kearny and Hamilton counties. 
It consists of three formations. The uppermost is a shale kno'vvn 
as the Carlile shale. Below this is a formation consisting of thin 
beds of limestone separated one from another by thin beds of shale, 
and known as the Greenhorn limestone. These limestone layers are 
in many places not more than 12 inches thick, yet they have a 
lateral extent almost as great as the Benton itself, which is believed 
to be nearly coextensive with the Dakota. One of these limestones 
is called the ''Fencepost" limestone and is of considerable economic 
importance because it is widely quarried and used for fence posts. 
The average thickness of the ''Fencepost" limestone is 9 inches. 
A ferrugmous seam passes through the center of the layer, and by 
splitting the limestone along this seam, excellent flagstones are pro- 
duced. In 1896 it was estimated that at least 50,000 fence posts 
from this limestone were in use in Mitchell and Lincoln counties 
alone. Beneath the Greenhorn limestone is a shale known as the 
Graneros shale. This is the basal formation of the Benton group. 

At the summit of the Benton group, embedded in the black shal.e, 
occur lens-shaped concretions, varying in size up to 4 or 5 feet in 
diameter. They are dark colored and are composed largely of car- 
bonate of lime. Some of them are hollow or consist of geodes lined 
with calcite crystals or traversed by cracks filled with calcite or other 
minerals. The thickness of the Benton is about 400 feet. The 
shales of the Benton are nearly impervious to water. This is par- 
ticularly true of the basal shales of the group (Graneros), which 
are so bituminous that they emit a strong odor of petroleum. The 
rocks are known to contain so much salt that any water derived 
from them would be unfit for domestic use. No considerable amount 
of usable water can be expected anywhere in this group of rocks. 

NIOBRARA FORMATION. 

Above the Benton group are the rocks belonging to the Niobrara 
formation, which underlie a wide region in Kansas west of the 
ninety-eighth meridian and north of Arkansas River. The eastern 



GEOLOGY AND UNDEEGROUND WATERS. 29 

margin of the Niobrara is exposed in a series of slopes rising above 
the rolling topography of the Benton group and trending southwest- 
ward across the State from Jewell County to the northeast corner of 
Finney County. To the west the Niobrara is thickly overlain by 
Tertiary deposits, but some of the larger valleys, notably that of 
Smoky Hill River, are so deeply cut that they afford extensive 
exposures. 

The formation consists of a lower series of limestones, called the 
Fort Hays limestone, and an upper series of chalks called the Pteran- 
odon beds or Smoky Hill chalk. The total thickness of the forma- 
tion is about 350 to 400 feet, of which the Pteranodon beds comprise 
300 to 350 feet. These beds immediately underlie the Pierre shale, 
but the two formations have not been observed in contact in Kansas, 
owing to the overlap of Tertiary formations. 

The Pteranodon beds are composed of a massive, light bluish-gray 
clay, which on weathermg becomes yellow or buff, or, in some places, 
light red, a change due to the oxidation of the iron contained in the 
deposits. In well borings the material is pale-blue chalky clay, not 
very sticky when wet. Some rather pure chalk occurs in the forma- 
tion, notably in the vicinity of Norton in the valley of Smoky Hill 
River, where it gives rise to man.y prominent buttes and castellated 
cliffs. The Fort Hays limestone, b}^ which the Pteranodon beds are 
underlain, is a soft, massive, light-colored rock which weathers out 
in bluffs of moderate prominence and which is about 50 feet thick. 
In well boring it is usually distinguished from the Pteranodon beds 
by its increased hardness. Neither member of the Niobrara is water- 
bearing. Indeed the great chalk beds are as nearly free from water 
as any formation in the State. 

PIERRE SHALE. 

In the northwest corner of Kansas the Niobrara formation is over- 
lain by the Pierre shale, which is exposed at intervals in the valleys 
of Republican and Arikaree rivers and their branches in Cheyenne 
County, notably in the banks of Hackberry Creek, 15 miles south of 
St. Francis; on Beaver Creek, in Rawlins County, and on Prairie 
Dog Creek, in Norton County. The Pierre consists of heavy, dark 
grayish-blue shale, that weathers to a rusty yellowish brown and that 
only here and there contains a small amount of calcareous material. 
So far as is known, the Pierre has a maximum thickness of 100 feet 
within the State. The Pierre is entirely devoid of water. 

It is evident from the foregoing paragraphs that practically no 
water is to be obtained throughout the mass of Cretaceous shales 
and limestones comprised in the Pierre, Niobrara, and Benton for- 
mations — aggregating between 800 and 900 feet in thickness. These 
shales form an impervious floor upon which the water-bearing Ter- 



30 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

tiary deposits rest, and drilling should cease when the Cretaceous 
floor is reached, unless it is intended to pass through the barren 
strata into the Dakota sandstone. 

CENOZOIC ROCKS. 

TERTIARY DEPOSITS. 

DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTER. 

Overlying a large part of western Kansas, covering, in fact, nearly 
two-fifths of the entire area of the State, is a mantle of sand, clay-, 
and gravel with a minimum thickness of about 350 feet, which is 
known to be of Tertiary age. The material is surprisingly regular 
when considered in a general way, its appearance and composition 
being so characteristic that it is readily recognized wherever seen. 
However, it exhibits in detail great differences, varying from exceed- 
ingly fine sand to coarse sand or gravel, which in places is made up 
of pebbles 4 to 5 inches in diameter. The clay is in some places 
almost pure, but elsewhere it is intimately mixed with fine sand of 
uniform grains. The arrangement of the material also shows great 
irregularity, but in general the clay is found on top, immediately at 
the surface, and has been called the ''plains marl." In many locali- 
ties, however, the surface is of sand 20 to 40 feet deep, with but little 
clay intermingled, while the clay is liable to be found at any depth 
below the surface. In places the sand beds are heavy and relatively 
thick; elsewhere they are thin and interspersed with beds of clay and 
gravel. The gravel likewise is unevenly,distribut&d. In some places 
it is found at the base of the Tertiary, but in almost as many it occurs 
at intermediate levels, and it is not uncommon at the surface. 
Another very characteristic feature of the Tertiary deposits is the 
great abundance of calcium carbonate found in them. Samples from 
many localities showed that at a depth of more than 5 or 6 feet below 
the surface the deposits contained calcium carbonate enough to 
effervesce strongly when treated with dilute muriatic acid.' In places 
this calcium carbonate is present in quantities so great that it strongly 
cements the sand and gravel, forming a firm rock which resists erosion 
much better than uncemented beds of clays and finer sands. As the 
result these rocks are generally prominent along the bluffs of various 
rivers and lesser streams. Such accumulations of sand and gravel 
of various degrees of coarseness, cemented together as indicated, are 
called "mortar beds," and almost every stream throughout the 
whole Tertiary area of the State exposes mortar beds in the upmost 
part of the material of the bluff. Tliis is notably true along the 
north bank of Arkansas River from Garden to Dodge along the banks 
of Sawlog and Buckner creeks to the north of Dodge, along the 
bluffs of Prairie Dog Creek throughout its course in the Tertiary 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS. 31 

deposits, along the high uplands on either side of the Saline River, 
and prominently along Crooked Creek and the Cimarron Ejver in 
Meade and Seward counties. At Arkalon the mortar beds along 
the Cimarron are very prominent near the upper level of the bluffs. 
It was formerly thought that the mortar beds occurred at the base of 
the Tertiary, but investigation has shown that they occur irregularly, 
with a tendency to appear near thie surface. Nowhere has ground 
water been found in the mortar beds, and none has been discovered 
in sand and gravel in which the grains are in any degree cemented by 
calcium carbonate. 

Erasmus Haworth offers the following explanation of the mortar 
beds: The Tertiary deposits were derived from the disintegration of 
rocks in the mountainous areas to the west and contain an abun-: 
dance of finely comminuted calcium carbonate. Rain, in soaking 
into the ground, picks up from the decaying vegetation carbon diox- 
ide, which reacts on the carbonates in the ground, dissolves them, and 
carries them into the underground water. In regions of abundant 
rainfall these carbonates remain in solution; but on the plains, where 
the rainfall is deficient, the rain carrying the carbonates downward 
is likely to evaporate or be absorbed by the very dry ground before 
it reaches the ground water, in either of which cases the carbonates 
would be precipitated in the ground where they would act as a cement 
binding together the particles on which they are deposited. Thus 
the mortar beds might be built up, starting perhaps as small concre- 
tions and gradually growing into vast beds. 

• This explanation of the formation of the mortar beds accounts for 
their occurrence at different levels in the Tertiary deposits and for 
their rarity at the base of that system, for the beds would be built up 
at whatever level the water evaporated, wliich might be near the sur- 
face, somewhat farther down, or even near the bottom; but they 
would never be formed where there is water containing enough car- 
bon dioxide to hold the carbonates in solution. 

WATER SUPPLIES.i 

Rainfall over most of the Tertiary area is rather small, but nearly 
all of it is absorbed, as the ground is very porous. The rain water has 
very little tendency to flow away over the surface, and such as exists 
is checked by the sod of buffalo grass, which holds the soil in place 
and prevents washing. The rain that is absorbed by the Tertiary 
deposits sinks into the ground until its downward progress is stopped 
by the Cretaceous rocks, or the "Red Beds" beneath. These rocks 
form a floor on which the Tertiary deposits rest and which is every- 
where impervious, except in the few places where the Tertiary is in 
direct contact with the Dakota sandstone. If this floor did not 

1 Report of the Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 1896 to tlie Legislature of Kansas, 
pp. 79-87. 



32 QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

exist, water, instead of being generally available throughout western 
Kansas, would be scarce, for so much of the light rainfall as might 
collect in pools and ponds would be rapidly dissipated by the intense 
evaporation, and the rest would sink to unknown depths did not the 
floor stop it and serve as a surface for it to accumulate on. Before 
being covered with Tertiary deposits, this floor was a land surface, 
exposed to the same agencies ot weathering and erosion that are at 
work on the land surfaces of to-day; and, like them, it was cut into 
valleys, ridges, and hills. Moreover, in the elevation and subsidence 
to which this floor has been subjected, it has been somewhat warped 
and bent, so that instead of being perfectly even it is rough. Its 
inequalities are covered by the Tertiary deposits which lie over them 
in smooth, level prairies. If the topography of this buried land were 
known, it would be possible to accurately foretell the depth neces- 
sary to drill any particular place to reach the ground water below. 
But lacking such information, predictions of the depth at which water 
is to be found must be based on deductions as to the ancient topog- 
raphy, deductions that may be legitimately made from the records 
of the nearest wells. Such prophecies are, as a rule, fairly depend- 
able, but not invariably so. For instance, the site of a proposed well 
may be over a valley of the buried land, in which case the depth to 
water will be unexpectedly great; or the well may be over a hidden 
ridge and the distance to water be less than anticipated; or the 
ridge may be so high that it projects above the present underground 
water level, in which case no water at all can be obtained; and of 
two wells but a mile or so (or perhaps only a few yards) apart, one 
may yield no water at all and the other supply it in abundance, 
because one well is over a ridge and the other is not. Indeed, areas 
of considerable extent in western Kansas are without ground water 
because a broad swell in the floor is thus elevated. 

The difficulty of predicting the depth at which water will be found 
is further complicated by the lack of uniformity in the materials 
which compose the Tertiary and by the irregularity of their arrange- 
ment. The sand and gravel deposits ordinarily carry the water, 
but hot where they are at the surface, for there' they lie above the 
underground water level. Only very rarely does the clay contain 
water, and when a thick bed of it occurs in a spot where a well is to 
be sunk, the entire clay bed must be pierced before the water-bearing 
sand below can be tapped. Sometimes such a thick bed is dis- 
tinctly local and in two neighboring wells the driller must go to a much 
greater depth for water in one than in the other. Again, the thick 
bed of clay spreads over a wide area and compels deeper drilling for 
water than is necessary in a contiguous district. 

The water that accumulates above the Cretaceous floor forms what 
is known as the ''underflow/' or "sheet water" of the plains. The 



GEOLOGY AND UNDEKGltOUND WATERS. 33 

iyxst, second, and third waters of the plainsmen are found where 
sheets of clay, occurring one above another, are separated by beds 
of water-bearing gravel or sand. It is the common impression that 
these aquifers are in no way related to each other, but as a rule, 
when all of the clay sheets are penetrated, the lowest water rises to 
the level of the first, which shows that the different waters are all 
connected with the great underground supply, which is merely sepa- 
rated into layers by the interposed clay sheets. However, the first 
water may be more highly mineralized than the others, because the 
excessive evaporation to which it is exposed concentrates the salts 
which it carries in solution. 

The two popular names, "sheet water" and "imderflow," recog- 
nize the wide extent and the motion of the ground water of the plains. 
The motion is imparted by the general tilting of the floor eastward 
at about the same angle as the inclination of the present land surface. 
Through the western 100 miles of the State the fall averages 7 to 8 
feet to the mile eastward, though local variations occur which turn 
the flow to the northeast, southeast, or in some other direction at a 
greatly increased angle. Thus, in the southwestern part of Clark 
County, the inclination from Minneola to the south line of the State 
is close to 20 feet to the mile, and in some places, even more than 30 
feet to the mile. Likewise, along the south line of the State, in 
Meade County, the inclination eastward is more than 20 feet to the 
mile. As the floor is inclined, it is apparent that the sheet water 
can not everyv/here be found at the same depth beneath the surface, 
although over small areas it appears to be so because the inclination 
is relatively slight. 

This eastward flow of the groiuid water would completely drain the 
western county if it were not for the retarding influence of the sand 
and gravel. In many places the streams have cut through the Ter- 
tiary deposits to the Cretaceous floor, and even deep into it. Wher- 
ever this has occurred the Tertiary deposits close to the streams are 
so robbed of their underground water by rapid drainage that good 
wells are not to be found, but the resistance of the sands to the flow 
of the water is so great that wells a mile or less away yield abund- 
antly. The size of the particles that compose the sands and gravels 
is a most important factor in controlling the rate of flow of water, 
because the water moves much more freely through the coarse mate- 
rial than it does through fine. Hence, a well in a gravel aquifer is 
likely to be supplied with water so rapidly that vigorous pumping 
will not lower it very much, whereas a well in an aquifer of compact, 
fine sand may very probably be fed with water so slowly that it may 
easily be pumped dry. The flow of the underground water, besides 
being retarded by the sand, is checked by inequahties of the floor. 
7783G°— wsp 273—11 3 



34 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Ridges or swells restrain the water just as a dam restrains a flowing 
stream, and depressions hold it back in the same way that lakes hold 
back surface waters. Such is the water that is in common use on 
the plains and has made their development possible. Its presence 
was unsuspected by the pioneers, many of whom perished for thirst, 
ignorant of the water beneath their feet. 

QUATERNARY DEPOSITS. 

PLEISTOCENE SYSTEM. 

EQUUS BEDS. 

In McPherson, the western part of Marion, Harvey, and the eastern 
part of Reno counties is a geologic formation known as the Equus 
beds,^ which, as shown by well drillings, occupies a channel that was 
carved out of the Permian ( ?) shales and Dakota sandstone and that 
once probably connected Smoky HiU River with Arkansas River. 
The channel was shallowest at the eastern edge of the area and 
sloped to the west, where the deepest of the drillings, about 150 feet, 
have not reached bedrock. 

In their broadest part the Equus beds are 25 miles across, and they 
occupy an area about 800 miles in extent north of Little Arkansas 
River, and, exclusive of the sand hills, 100 square miles south of it. 
The Equus beds are very flat, and offer marked contrast to the rough 
surfaces presented by the Permian ( ?) series on the east and tho 
Dakota sandstone on the north. 

Little Arkansas River drains the entire area of the Equus beds, 
except a small portion north of the divide, vfhich is drained by 
Smoky Hill River. As a rule, the area has sufficient slope to drain 
it, but a chain of lakes and basins extends from McPherson along the 
western edge of the area over the deepest portion of the buried 
channel. The largest basin is 2 miles west of McPherson and is 
nearly 3 miles in diameter, while the largest lake is Lake Inman, 10 
miles southwest of McPherson. The divide between Smoky Hill and 
Arkansas rivers has an average elevation of a little more than 1,500 
feet. Arkansas River at the southeastern limit of the area is at 
1,290 feet. There is, therefore, a fall of 200 feet in 60 miles. Smoky 
Hill River at its nearest approach is within 4 miles of the divide, but 
its bed is nearly 200 feet below it. 

The strata that compose the Equus beds consist of alternating 
layers of sand and clay. Near the bottom of the deepest part of the 
buried channel is a heavy layer of gravel, which everywhere contains 
an abundance of water. At McPherson it lies at a depth of 140 to 
150 feet, or even more. The upper part of this gravel bed grades 

1 The following description of the water from the Equus beds has been taken largely from Kansas Univ. 
Geol. Survey, vol. 2, pp. 288-289, 295-296. 



GEOLOGY AND UNDEEGEOUND WATEES. 35 

into a stratum, partly argillaceous and partly arenaceous, which is 
many feet in thickness, and which locally contains isolated sand beds, 
or at least sand beds of great irregularity, that carry very httle 
water. The upper surface of this stratum is nearly on a level with 
the rim of the deeper part of the buried channel. On top of this 
stratum, and extending over a very slightly undulating Permian ( ?) 
floor for ^5 miles to the east, is a stratum of sand varying in thickness 
from 30 feet at McPherson (according to S.Z. Sharp) to 3 feet in 
other places farther east, but averaging 6 to 8 feet in thickness. This 
stratum also contains a good supply of water and covers nearly the 
entire area of the Equus beds, except a part of the area to the north. 
The uppermost stratum, which covers the entire area, is 10 to 35 feet 
thick, and is composed of clay of varying texture and color. In the 
northern part of McPherson County this clay contains an area of 
"volcanic ash" 18 to 24 inches thick. The sands of the Eguus beds 
have been examined microscopically and appear to be derived from 
the Dakota sandstone rather than from the rock detritus brought 
down from the west by rivers. 

The Equus bed^ of McPherson County are very fertile, valuable 
farm land. The region is so flat that almost all of it can be cultivated. 
Over the eastern part good water is found in abundance at a depth of 
18 to 30 feet, being easily reached because the sandy texture of the 
clay above the water-bearing beds makes digging easy. Over the 
western part of the area wefls 40 to 150 feet in depth furnish an appar- 
ently inexhaustible supply of good water. The wonderful amount of 
water contamed in this lower gravel bed of smafl extent is remarkable. 
A section through the Equus beds from Arkansas River to Smoky 
Hifl River suggests that upon further investigation the water supply 
may be traced to Smoky Hifl and Arkansas rivers. Cottonwood 
and other trees thrive wherever J)lanted in this area in marked con- 
trast to the area eastward, where the Permian (?) shales form the 
surface rock and where the cottonwood grows to a fair size and dies. 

DRIFT. 1 

Northeastern Kansas was subject to glacial action. The ice itself 
crossed the Kaw Vafley, not for its whole length but for most of the 
distance east of Big Blue River. The southwest corner of the ice 
region is characterized by an immense moraine. East of St. George 
the tops of the bluffs overlooking Kaw Vafley are paved with large 
bowlders, and on the south side of the vafley a flttle to the east the 
moraine is simply immense. At the western extremity two hill- 
tops—flat mounds — are paved with bowlders to a depth of 8 or 10 
feet, and to the northeast, east, and southeast the morame extends 

1 Abstracted from report by Robert Hay in Eighth Bien. Kept., Kansas State Board Agr , vol 13 1893 
pp. 118-120. 



36 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

for miles. Fully 95 per cent of the bowlders of this moraine are of 
the red quartzite that comes from South Dakota and Minnesota. 
The rest are mainly hornblendic greenstone and granite. There are 
a few fragments of hard limestone that is very common in the drift 
of North Dakota. A tongue of the glacier was pushed across a low 
divide here, and continued down to Mill Creek, where the main body 
of the moraine trends east, still on the south side of the Kaw. At 
Topeka the river valley was also crossed by a tongue of moraine 
stretching down to Tevis, 10 miles southeast. At Lawrence, and a 
few miles south and west, there are again immense morainic deposits. 
In Missouri they are found farther south than the mouth of the Kaw. 
Bowlders are found in all counties from the Missouri to the Big Blue. 
In Washington County they are found west of the Big Blue, and there 
are also found mounds of gravel and small bowlders, which, if they 
were not so weathered, would be recognized as osars and kames, 
which were probably first melted out on the top of the glacier and at 
last were left in position by the final disappearance of the ice resting 
on bedrock of the county. 

HARDPAN. 

The true hardpan, or till, is a stiff, pasty, dark-brown clay, with 
pebbles and small bowlders. It seems to have been formed under 
the ice by the grinding of the material over which the glacier passed — 
clay, shales, soft limestones, and sand. It is not as extensively found 
in the glacial area of Kansas as in some other States. It occurs in 
thin beds in Washington, Pottawatomie, and Nemaha counties and 
without doubt it exists elsewhere under other deposits. As it forms 
an intractable soil, it is fortunate that it is not widely found at the 
surface. Where it exists as a subsoil, drainage is required. 



A modified hardpan, joint clay, or gumbo of post-glacial origin is 
found in many places near, the surface in the glacial area, and far 
away from the glaciated region there is a similar deposit. Some of 
these beds of gumbo are of very recent origin, being the result of 
floods and weathering by agencies still at work, so that these beds, 
aU strictly local, come down from immediately after the ice to the 
present day. 

LOESS. 

The loess, which is often called bluff, because the bluffs of the 
Missouri River are formed of it or capped with it from Kansas City 
to Yankton, is a buff or yellowish marl. Over immense areas it is 
substantially the same material as that which gives color and muddi- 
ness to the water of the present river. In some regions it takes color 
from local surroundings, contains streaks of coarse sand or gravel. 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGEOUND WATERS. 37 

and becomes of orange brightness. It is generally agreed that the 
loess is the material deposited in the broad lakes and streams that 
fronted the ice sheet and that followed its retreat to the north. In 
some regions there is believed to have been an interglacial epoch of 
milder climate; that is, there was a retreat of the ice sheet for a 
time and a second advance and repetition of the various phenomena; 
but in Kansas the whole of the direct glacial phenomena belongs to the 
oldest ice epoch, and the second ice sheet did not overspread the 
area. The loess of the second advance, however, overlapped the 
more ancient loess, although the limits of the overlap have not been 
worked out. Loess occurs as far west as Dickinson County and Medi- 
cine Lodge and down the Arkansas and Neosho valleys into Okla- 
homa. It is found low down in river valleys and at great elevations 
in ridges as high as 1,200 feet above sea level in Geary County up 
to 1,500 in Morris County, and to 1,000 feet in Bourbon County. 
The so-called "Plains marl" shades into it. 

When the Kaw River valley was dammed by ice in Wabaunsee 
County, the Platte Valley of Nebraska must also have been closed, 
the Missouri was stopped at Fort Randall, and its waters must have 
been thrown over Nebraska and northwestern Kansas. The height 
of the wall of ice must have been sufficient to throw the waters over 
the high divides to the west and south. Perhaps some Missouri 
River water, after being spread out into wide lakes, was thrown into 
the valleys of the Neosho and the Arkansas. Across these waters 
floated icebergs, large or small, which carried angular bowlders far 
beyond the ice border, and which are found in the loess that was 
deposited on the glaciated area during the recession of the ice to the 
north. Probably at this time the deep trough of Big Blue River was 
cut by the strong current along the west front of the ice, and the 
pass cut across Wabaunsee County round the southwest terminal 
moraine to Mill Creek, whose wide valley below McFarland, filled 
with deep alluvia, shows that a large stream once worked there. The 
pass referred to is now used by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 
Railway and by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway for their" 
tracks from Manhattan to Mill Creek. The tracks at the highest point 
are little over 100 feet above Manhattan or McFarland, but the neigh- 
boring hills are from 200 to 300 feet above the two valleys. The 
loess has done much to smooth the contour of a region that before 
this age was very rugged. 

WATERS or THE PLEISTOCENE ROCKS.' 

The glacial deposits form a valuable source of water. The meager 
investigations that have been made on the drift indicate that its 

1 Hay, Robert, Some characteristics of the glaciated area of northeastern Kansas: Kansas Acad, of Sci., 
Trans., vol. 13, 1891, pp. 104-106. 

Swem, E. G., A prelimiuaty report on the glaciated area of Kansas: Kansas Univ. Quart., vol. 4, 1895-96, 
pp. 153-159. 



38 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

maximum depth is probably not much more than 175 feet. A well 
at Holton, 126 feet deep, passes entirely through the drift, and one 
at Wliite Cloud, 126 feet deep, does not reach rock. Most of the 
wells that are known to be in glacial deposits range in depth from 40 
to 60 feet, though wells of a depth of 70 to 100 feet are not uncommon. 

RECENT DEPOSITS. 

ALLUVIUM. 

Many wide valleys in Kansas are covered to a greater or less depth 
with deposits of alluvial materials brought by the streams at various 
stages of their development. The process of valley filling following 
valley erosion is a well recognized phase of river development, result- 
ing from the fact that the transporting power of streams decreases as 
the channels approach base level. The most extensive of these 
alluvial deposits is found in the Arkansas River valley, but all the 
river and creek valleys contain more or less alluvial material of rela- 
tively recent origin. The unconsolidated material with which the 
rivers fill in their valleys is derived from the land along their courses 
and from mountains near their headwaters, and consists of sand, 
gravel, clay, and small waterworn rock fragments. This material is 
admirably adapted for holding water and it yields very valuable 
water supplies. 

The Kansas River valley ^ from Salina to Kansas City is filled 
in with unconsolidated material derived from the hills along its 
course, from the mountains to the west, and from glacial material 
that occurs along its banks. On both sides of jthe river, but par- 
ticularly on the north side from the mouth to Topeka, great masses 
of loess exist along the bluffs. These masses send long streamers 
down into the valley and so have contributed largely to the fluviatile 
material. Throughout this part of the valley, which is about 4 miles 
wide and 150 miles long, and comprises approximately 600 square 
miles, the alluvial deposits yield an abundant water supply. 

Walnut Creek and its tributaries are filled in with alluvial deposits 
which are water-bearing and which form the principi^l source of 
water in the counties drained by this stream. 

In the valley of Cimarron River, in Morton, Stevens, and Seward 
counties, the gravels are near the surface and apparently afford an 
abundance of water, though their capacity has never been tested. 
The gravels that have accumulated in the valleys of several of the 
rivers in the eastern part of Kansas also furnish an abundance of 
water, but none of them yield so richly as the gravels of the Kansas 
and Arkansas River valleys. 

1 Kirk, M. Z., The sands of the Kansas River valley: Kansas Univ. Quart., vol. 4, 1895, pp. 125-128. 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS. 39 

Not all of the rivers have accumulated gravel m their valleys. 
Smoky Hill River, for example, is almost entirely devoid of it, 
although in some places the sand and gravel is 6 feet thick and yields 
a little water on digging. The water found in these deposits in river 
valleys is usually derived from the land along the river ; that is, it is 
commonly subsurface drainage of the land that is making its way to 
the river, but sometimes it is part of the flow of the river. Wliere 
water from the fiuviatile deposits is to be used for a city supply it is 
very important to determine its source. If the water is from the 
river it may be somewhat impure, as the waters of most rivers are 
polluted; if the water is from the land on its way to the river, it is 
likely to be pure unless it is nothing more than the underdrainage of 
a city or town, in which case it should not be developed for a city 
supply because it is contaminated from such sources as leakage from 
privies, cesspools, sewers, and the drainage from manure heaps. 

SAND HILLS. 

Fine, blown sand, constituting hills and ridges of moderate height 
with intervening irregular basins and flats, is found in central Kansas, 
in the Arkansas River valley from Coolidge to Great Bend and on the 
adjoining slopes to the southeast. This sand has been derived from 
the alluvial flats along the river and blown out by the prevailing 
winds, which are strongest from the northwest. Along the river east 
of Great Bend is an accumulation of sand derived from the Dakota 
sandstone, and doubtless it yields water to the underflow of the river, 
though this has not been experimentally demonstrated. 

ARTESIAN WATER. 

CONDITIONS OF OCCUHEENCE. 

The term "artesian" has been used with much confusion, but the 
best usage now restricts the word to those wells in wliich the water 
rises under pressure to a level higher than the water-bearing bed 
wliich yields it. Flowing wells are artesian wells in which the water 
rises above the level of the mouth of the well. Flowing wells, though 
not rare, are unusual enough to excite interest wherever they occur. 
The many conditions that produce artesian wells are fully discussed 
in Bulletin 319 and Water-Supply Paper 160 of the United States 
Geological Survey. The essential principle is that the water is under 
hydrostatic pressure and so tends to rise at any point where the pres- 
sure is reheved. The pressure is usually produced by the water per- 
colating downward from an elevated source tlu'ough an inclined por- 
ous stratum or channel, from which it can not escape. Therefore at 
levels lower than the source pressure is developed which may be suffi- 
cient to make the water rise only part way in the well that taps the 
aquifer, or wliich may be great enough to cause the water to rise 



40 QUALITY OF TPIE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

to the surface and overflow. The difi^erence in elevation between the 
mouth of the well and the source of the water, and also the grain of 
the aquifer determine the pressure of the water and, consequently? 
whether it rises to overflowing or not. In Kansas there are many 
flowing wells; those in Meade County, in Marion County, and in the 
southeastern corner of the State deserve special notice. 

MEADE ARTESIAN AREA. 

The Meade area is an important one and has been carefully described 
by Erasmus Ha worth, from whose report ^ most of the following 
description is taken. The Meade artesian area is located in the 
valley of Crooked Creek and extends from some 5 miles south of 
Meade nearly to Wilburn, so that it is about 20 miles long with 
a width in places of nearly 6 miles. The flowing wells have been 
sunk in an area of approximately 80 square miles. The area com- 
prises a broad, flat valley, apparently almost level, with scarcely any 
irregularities of surface within it other than the small drainage chan- 
nels tributary to Crooked Creek, which are 5 to 8 feet deep. On all 
sides and in every direction from the valley the ground is higher, so 
that there appears to be a natural wall around it. On the east and 
southeast the wall is from 50 to 100 feet high, with gently sloping 
sides, and the surface is largely covered with sand hills. On the north 
is a gentle rise toward Crooked Creek, producing a maximum eleva- 
tion of about 75 feet between the main part of the valley and Crooked 
Creek itself. But at the northeast, toward Wilburn, the wall is 
much more abrupt, rising rapidly to a height of 100 to 140 feet. A 
few drainage channels originate in the high ground to the west and 
pass across the artesian valley to Crooked Creek, which is insignificant 
in appearance. It is generally but a few feet wide, is often dry, and 
can rarely be observed in the landscape farther than 100 feet away, 
so closely does it resemble an artificial ditch. It, as well as the other 
drainage channels, to a notable extent has also lifted its banks higher 
than the adjacent land. The uplands to the west of the artesian 
valley increase in height so rapidly that the plains to the north and 
northwest of Jasper, not over 10 miles away from the vaUey, are 2,700 
feet high, while the general elevation of the artesian valley is between 
2,400 and 2,500 feet. The Tertiary ground water in the high plains 
to the west is found at a depth of 125 to 150 feet, so that it must be 
100 to 120 feet above the surface of the valley itself. 

The artesian valley throughout is covered with Tertiary or Pleisto- 
cene deposits, the thickness of which is not known, for none of the 
artesian wells has passed through them. To the north, beyond 
Crooked Creek, the Benton group is exposed at the surface in a few 
places and has been reached by many of the wells. To the northeast, 

I Water-supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 6, 1897. 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS, 41 

a few miles beyond Wilburn, the Dakota sandstone was reached by 
different wells. South of the valley the ''Red Beds" appear at the 
surface, for the Benton and Dakota thin out to the south until they 
disappear. It is believed that the strata were here faulted so that 
the Meade valley was sunk to an unknown distance, at least 100 to 
150 feet and that it has since been filled in to a considerable extent, 
probably in Pleistocene time. The materials shown in the borings 
from different wells over the valley can not be distinguished from the 
Tertiary deposits adjacent on all sides. They are composed of silt, 
clay, sand, and fine gravel, very irregularly mixed, so that there is no 
greater continuity of the bedding planes than may be found in the 
Tertiary deposits elsewhere. The "mortar beds" produced by the 
cementing of coarse sand seem to be wanting, but the finer sand and 
clay are in many places partially cemented by calcium carbonate, 
producing a certain degree of hardening similar to that observed in 
the mortar beds elsewhere. 

The flowing wells come from Tertiary deposits or from Pleistocene 
beds composed of materials in every respect similar to the Tertiary 
deposits surrounding the valley upon all sides and seem sharply dis- 
tinguished from the Dakota artesian wells known to exist to the 
north and northwest. 

The flowing wells of Crooked Creek valley, it is believed, are fed by 
the ordinary ground water of the plains, which is slowly moving east- 
ward on the inclined Cretaceous or ''Red Beds " floor. Ordinarily this 
water is not confined between impervious layers, so that artesian con- 
ditions do not often develop, but as the Crooked Creek valley is ap- 
proached the water in some way gently dips downward and passes 
under the clay beds near the west border of the flowing well area, per- 
haps rarely extending farther away than from 2 to 4 miles, and estab- 
lishes a lim ited pressure. 

Haworth made a few experiments to test the height to which water 
would rise in an open tube at the wells and found that the rise is only 
a few feet, perhaps always less than 20. The pressure which causes 
the flow from the wells, therefore, can not be due to the extra height 
the water has 10 miles to the west, otherwise the head would be much 
greater and the flow correspondingly stronger. The flow of the wells 
varies from almost nothing to 80 gallons a minute. It is impossible 
to give an average flow for the wells in the valley, but many exist 
which yield 30 gallons a minute. 

The first flowing well in the valley was discovered in August, 1887, 
on the property of Benjamin Cox, about 300 feet southwest of a well 
in the SW. J sec. 33, T. 30 S., R. 27 W., and was 142 feet deep.^ 

1 S. Ex. Doc. No. 41, pt. 2, Ap. 26, 52d Cong., 1st sess. 



42 QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

It appears to be the well in the XE. I sec. 5, T. 31 S., R. 27 W./ 
which, in October, 1907, was pointed out as the original well. It no 
longer flows, but water is easily raised from it by a pump. Appa- 
renth' the well has become clogged wdth fine sand, for it yields plenty 
of sand with the water, and other weUs nearb}^ are flowing freely. The 
second well put down in the yaUey is located in the SW. I sec. 33, 
T. 30 S., R. 27 W., and is stiU flowing strongly. On October 31, 1907, 
the temperature of many of the wells was taken with a thermometer 
and was found to yary between 14.5° and 16°C., 15° being the common- 
est. The shallowest flo\ying well in the valley is at the head of a draw 
in the SE. i sec. 4, T. 30 S., R. 26 W., and is 65 feet deep. The deepest 
flowing well is in the XE. i sec. 27, T. 31 S., R. 27 W., and is 320 feet 
deep. Most of the wells are 2 inches in diameter. Many of the weUs 
are from 140 to 160 feet deep. In a general way the material passed 
through by all of the wells is aUke, but in detail it is different. Each 
one passes tlirough the surface soil, below which is encountered altera- 
tions of clay, sand, and soil. The sand is often cemented so that 
driUers speak of it as rock, but few of the cemented layers are 
more than 12 inches thick and many of them are not more than 6 
inches. Apparently there is no particular stratum that must be 
reached in order to obtain flowing water. A mass of bluish clay fre- 
quently rests on top of a bed of uncemented sand stained yellow with 
iron rust, and this sand always contains water, generaUy the artesian 
water. The log of the well near the center of sec. 6, T. 31 S., R. 27 W., 
may be found on page 51, Water-Supply Paper of the United States 
Geological Suryey Xo. 6,^ and the logs of other weUs in Senate Ex- 
ecutiye Document No. 41, part 2, Fifty-second Congress, first session, 
Appendix 26. Although flowing wells may be found almost any- 
where oyer the y alley, failures haye been recorded. The northern and 
western sides of the yaUey are the most productiye, though flowing 
weUs are found aU the way from Wilbum to the south of Meade. 
Some well sites on the west side of the yalley are so liigh that the water 
does not overflow at the surface or does so yery gently. East of 
Crooked Creek and south of Meade there are not many wells, and these 
do not flow strongly. The artesian area does not appear to extend 
much south of Spring Creek. 

Springs exist at several places in the yalley. One noted area is 
in the vicinity of Simm'.s ranch, 1^ miles north of Fowler. The 
springs are on the eastern side of Crooked Creek just along the 
border line betwe§n the vaUey proper and the liigher lands to the 
east. The largest springs are located near the southeast valley 
fine along the east side of the vaUey. If the valley has been dropped 

I S. Ex. Doc. No. 222, 51st Cong., 1st sess. 

- This water-supply paper is no longer obtainable from the Survey, but it may be seen in the geologic 
library of Kansas University at Lawrence and in other large public libraries. 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS. 43 

by faulting, the water-bearing sands in the valley are doubtless 
on a level with the "Red Beds" or the underlying Dakota sandstone 
on the east, which condition would cause springs to be more abundant 
along the east line than elsewhere. Farther south, along the western 
tributaries to Crooked Creek and in the valley of Crooked Creek 
itself, springs and seeps abound. The largest amount of spring 
water flows through Spring Creek, a stream about 3 miles south of 
Meade. Springs are abundant throughout almost the entire length 
of this stream but are particularly so in sec. 21, where most beau- 
tiful springs exist. At one place within an area of not more than 10 
square rods the cold, clear water, comes bursting forth from under 
the "mortar beds" bluff, forming a stream like a mill race. An 
approximate measurement of the run-off from this one area gave 
3 second-feet. South from Spring Creek the next most important 
tributary from the west is Stump Arroyo, a stream along wliich 
springs are numerous, but which does not carry nearly as much water 
as Spring Creek. All these springs are connected with the artesian 
area to the north. 

The water obtained from the springs and flowing wells is largely 
used for irrigation. At many of the ranch houses ponds or tanks 
fed by the flowing water are also used for fish. Many of the wells 
are left flowing and the water is allowed to waste without any attempt 
being made to utilize it. 

The whole artesian valley is supphed with the ordinary ground 
water, which is found at 5 to 15 feet below the surface. Its abun- 
dance is not known, for no one cares to use it. As it has no artesian 
properties, it appears to be sharply distinguished from the deeper- 
lying water, though it must be admitted that the reason for the lack 
of connection is not clear. 

ARTESIAN WATER OF DICKINSON COUNTY. 

At Herington, in Dickinson County, in the course of prospecting 
for a suitable city water supply, some very gently flowing wells were 
located southwest of the city. The source of this water is not 
apparent. It may be that the water makes its way westward along 
the surface of the Cottonwood hmestone, wliich outcrops to the 
east of Herington in Lyon and Wabaunsee counties and dips to the 
west beneath Morris County toward Herington. The discovery of 
the flowing wells is interesting, but the water is much too highly 
mineralized for it to be of economic importance. 

ARTESIAN WATER FROM THE OZARK DOME. 

Fort Scott, Girard, Pittsburg, Weir, Cherokee, Columbus, Chetopa, 
and other cities in the southeastern corner of the State have deep 
wells wliich are highly esteemed. The water is usually sulpho- 



44 QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

saline in character, is reached at a depth of several hundred feet, 
is artesian or flowing, and is believed to be derived from the Ozark 
uplift, which occupies the southern part of Missouri, the northern 
part of Arkansas, the northeastern corner of Oklahoma, and a bit 
of the southeastern corner of Kansas, being bounded on the north 
by ]\iissouri River, on the northeast by Mississippi River, on the 
southeast by the upper portion of St. Francis River and by Black 
River, on the south by Arkansas River, and on the west by Neosho 
and Spring rivers. The area is elliptical and its axis is a curved 
line which extends northeastward through Missouri from the extreme 
northwestern corner of Arkansas through Aurora, Springfield, 
Marshfield, and Salem to the St. Francis Mountains in Iron County. 
The rivers which drain the area have a radial arrangement, heading 
along the axis of the dome and running therefrom toward all points 
of the compass. It is on the northwestern slope that the Galena- 
Joplin mining district is situated. Center Creek, Turkey Creek, Shoal 
Creek, and Spring River carry off the surface drainage, but there is 
a large permanent body of water located beneath the surface which 
is slowly making its way westward. Its source is somewhat uncer- 
tain. H. F. Bain beheves it comes from underlying Silurian rocks 
which collect the water on their outcrop near Cedar Gap in Wright 
County, Mo., and which, dipping to the west and being overlain and 
underlain by impermeable rocks, carry the water westward beneath 
younger formation to the minin g district.^ 

Erasmus Haworth contends that the Cedar Gap catchment area 
is too small to supply all of the water and that the prevailing ground 
water throughout the mining area of the Galena-Joplin district is 
surface water, probably more than 90 per cent of it having fallen 
as rain farther west than the surface exposure of Silurian rocks in 
the Ozark area. This water, he holds, has worked its way downward 
through various openings in the Mississippian Burlington limestone 
and is augmented by an unknown but relatively small amount of 
water which may work its way upward from the underlying Silurian 
rocks. These waters mingle and become as one body, making it 
impracticable to separate them from each other in effect and in their 
influence. This water which is slowly moving down the northwest 
slope of the Ozark dome is beheved to be the source of the artesian 
waters of Bourbon, Crawford, Cherokee, and Labette counties, 
Kans., though the artesian effect in Kansas is not as great as might 
be expected from the fact that the general level of the Ozark dome 
is 1,500 feet or more, while that of the top of the wells is usually 
only about 900 feet, never over 1,000 feet. At Joplin, Empire, 
Columbus, Cherryvale, Weir, and Pittsburg there are many weUs 
drilled into the Silurian sandstone, but the pressure is not sufficient 

1 Twenty-second Ann. Rapt. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 2, pp. 92-94. 



GEOLOGY AND UNDEKGEOUND WATERS. 45 

to bring the water to the surface. If there was not some vent giving 
rehef to water starting westward from Cedar Gap, the pressure 
would certainly be much greater than it is. Probably it is through 
crevices of the badly fractured Mississippian rocks which overlie 
the Silurian that the pressure of the water contained within the 
latter formations is relieved. It seems likely, too, that through 
these same crevices the rainfall which comes down on the Mississip- 
pian — the surface rock west of Cedar Gap — works its way down to 
the great body of ground water.^ 

DEPOSITS NOTABLY AFFECTING QUALITY OF WATER. 

SALT.^ 

Salt is found over a large part of the State of Kansas, either at the 
surface or within easy drilhng distance. A very important salt area 
Ues near the middle of the State, extending entirely across from the 
north line to the south and beyond into Oklahoma. The salt occurs 
(1) as brines in salt marshes, which by evaporation in the dry season 
leave salt on the surf ace, producing the so-called salt plains; and (2) 
as rock salt, which is found beneath the surface. In the eastern part 
of the State the shales belonging to the Permian (?) and Pennsyl- 
vanian series contain so much salt that the water obtained from them 
by means of deep wells is strongly sahne. 

The salt marshes are found in a zone trending a little east of north 
and west of south, reaching from Republic County on the north to 
Barber County on the south and to Cimarron River in Oklahoma. 
Robert Hay enumerates 12 salt marshes in Kansas, as follows: 

1. The Tuthill Marsh, in southeastern Repubhc County, that 
drains into Republican River southeast of Lawrenceburg through 
Salt Creek. 

2. Little Marsh, in northwestern Cloud County, that drains into 
Repubhcan River through Buffalo Creek. 

3. Jamestown Marsh, in Cloud, Repubhc, and Jewell counties, that 
drains into Republican River through Buffalo Creek. 

4. A marsh on Plum Creek in Mitchell County, 4 mUes northwest 
of Beloit, that drains into Solomon River. 

5. Great Marsh, on Salt Creek, in Mitchell County, that drains into 
Solomon River. 

6. A smaUer marsh on Salt Creek in Mitchell County, northwest of 
number 5, that drains into Solomon River. 

1 Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, pp. 57-68, 93-103, 125. 

2 Prepared from articles by: 

Haworth, Erasmus, Mineral resources of Kansas, 1S98, Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, pp. S6-S9. 

Kirk, M. Z., Mineral resources of Kansas, 1898, Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, pp. G9-S5, 98-123. 

Hay, Robert, Sixth Bienn. Rept. Kansas State Board Agr., 1889, pp. 192-204; Seventh Bienn. Rept. 
Kansas State Board Agr., 1891, pp. 83-94; Eighth Bienn. Rept. Kansas State Board Agr., 1893, pp. 
137-142. 
• Bailey, E. H. S., Eighth Bieim. Rept. Kansas State Board Agr., 1893, pp. 167-180. 



46 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

7. A marsh on llattlesnake Creek, in Lincoln County, that drains 
into Solomon River through Salt Creek. 

8. A marsh in Lincoln County, at the junction of Prosser and 
Battle creeks, which drains into Rattlesnake Creek, and thence by 
way of Salt Creek into Solomon River. 

9. Big Marsh in Stafford County. 

10. Little Marsh, southeast from No. 9 in Stafford County. Rattle- 
snake Creek, which empties into Ai^^ansas River at Alden, passes 
between Nos. 9 and 10, absorbs salt and becomes brackish, but does 
not drain either of them. 

11. Geuda Springs, in Sumner County, wliich are drained by Salt 
Creek into Arkansas River. 

12. A marsh in Sumner County northwest of Geuda Springs; this 
marsh drains into Arkansas River. 

A brief description of a few of these marshes will serve to give a 
correct conception of them all. Repubhc County has two marshes, 
Tuthill Marsh and Jamestown Marsh. The Tuthill was one of the 
most important marshes in pioneer times. In autumn the water is 
generally nearly all evaporated, and the edges of the marsh are dry 
and covered by a hard, thin scale of impure salt. Toward the center 
of the marsh the surface is more moist and the scale of salt less tliick 
and sohd. Nearer the center are found numerous pools of clear, 
briny water. During rainy seasons water collects over the marsh to 
a depth of a foot or more, coming from ravines in neighboring hill- 
sides and from numerous seeping springs near the edge of the marsh. 
This marsh and other similar marshes of the State were of great value 
to hunters in early times. They came here to "jerk" their buffalo 
meat. When they were in too great haste to wait to evaporate the 
brine and get the crystalhzed salt, they dipped the meat and hides 
into the pool of strongest brine and then dried them in the sunsliine 
or by the fire. Wlien a considerable quantity of meat was to be 
"jerked," the meat was cut into long strips and dipped in brine that 
was boiled in kettles over a fire of buffalo chips. It was then laid 
out to dry in the sunshine or on a lattice work made of green poles 
supported on four posts with a fire under it. In this way 200 or 300 
pounds could be cured in five or six hours. Mr. Tuthill (Tuttle ?), for 
whose family the marsh was named, was the first salt manufacturer 
of the State. In the early sixties he made salt and hauled it to Man- 
hattan, where it brought as high as 10 cents' a pound. 

In Mitchell County salt springs and marshes are abundant on Salt 
Creek in the southern portion, while a few are found on Carr and 
Hard Scrabble creeks. The Waconda Spring is heavily impregnated 
with salt.^ 

1 SLxth Bienn. Kept. State Board Agr., 1887-88, p. 315. 



GEOLOGY AND UNDERGROUND WATERS, 47 

In the northern part of Mitchell County on Plum Creek is a small 
marsh scarcely more than a small lick. Its banks have become 
tramped and there is but slight efflorescence on a very small area — 
less than an acre— though signs of it show at intervals farther down 
the valley. 

In Lincoln County, besides the marshes mentioned by Hay, saline 
springs are abundant along Saline River and Spillman Creek,i a 
tributary of that stream. 

The two marshes in Stafford County are known as Big Marsh and 
Little Marsh. These marshes were not only used for curing venison, 
but a httle salt plant was erected and a considerable quantity of salt 
was made about 1878. The product came from a spring at the south 
part of the Big Marsh and was sold in Great Bend as early as 1867. 

In Reno County, Peace Creek, which enters Arkansas River near 
Sterling, drains a small salt marsh. 

In the southeastern part of Greenwood County in Salt Springs 
Township there are salt springs from which salt was at one time 
manufactured. These springs discharge into Fall River.^ 

The three saline reserves, East, Middle, and West, in Oklahoma, 
are closely alhed to the salt marshes of Kansas. The East Saline 
Reserve is located on Salt Fork of Arkansas River in Alfalfa County, 
Okla., a httle below the mouth of Medicine Lodge River. Tliis 
marsh is larger than any in Kansas, extending 14 miles from north 
to south and 8 miles from east to west at the widest point. It is 
locally known as the Great Salt Plain. 

Middle Sahne Reserve is in Woods, Vfoodward, and Harper coun- 
ties, Okla., on Cimarron River at the mouth of Buffalo Creek. The 
marsh covers a large part of two sections and is the most valuable 
salt plain of the whole region. On the south side of Buffalo Creek 
are some strong salt springs, and in numerous places the strong brine 
bursts forth and runs into a second httle stream or disappears in the 
sand. In dry weather the brines from the springs are so concentrated 
that they deposit rock salt over the whole surface of the marsh. The 
wind-blown sand soon covers the salt to a depth of several inches or 
even feet. In early times the Indians and, later, the stockmen came 
here and hauled away the salt in large quantities, taking it to various 
places in Oklahoma and Kansas. 

West Saline Reserve is a few miles above Middle Reserve on the 
Cimarron in Woods and Harper counties, Okla. It is small and of 
minor importance. 

The salt marshes in the northern part of Kansas and possibly as 
far south as Stafford County obtain their salt from the sahferous 
shales of the Dakota sandstone. On account of their highly salty 

1 Sixth Bienn. Rept. Kansas State Board Agr., 1887-88, p. 270. 2 idem, p. 193. 



48 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

character, these shales are particularly subject to erosion and have 
been important factors in the production of many of the low marshy 
areas so common to the northern part of the State. An extreme 
example of the result produced by the resolution of the shales is the 
great basin known as the Cheyenne Bottoms/ a few miles north of 
Great Bend. The salt marshes represent in most cases, first, a low 
level area produced by erosion of these shales and, second, a mass of 
brine which has received its salt by the rain water leaching the latter 
from adjacent shales to the west. In some places the brine seems to 
reach the surface in the form of deep-seated springs, while elsewhere 
it is by ordinary hillside springs. It is quite possible the other hori- 
sons in the Dakota assist in supplying salt for the salt marshes, as 
they are known to be slightly saline, but the saliferous shale beds are 
the principal producers. The source of the salt in the Stafford County 
marshes may be somewhat doubtful. The surface of the country 
here is so mantled by the Tertiary deposits and alluvial sands and 
gravel that it is difficult to make accurate observations regarding 
conditions beneath them. The ''Red Beds" are known to be saline 
throughout their whole thickness. The salt of the marshes in 
Cimarron River area and the Salt Fork area comes from the "Red 
Beds," being produced by rain waters leaching the salt from beds 
near the surface in the gradual process of erosion. The "Red Beds" 
are known to extend northward under the Tertiary deposits to a point 
beyond Stafford County. It is therefore somewhat difficult to decide 
from which source, the "Red Beds" or the shales of the Dakota, the 
Stafford marshes are supplied. 

From the earliest settlement of the State numerous briny wells 
have been found throughout the rocks of the Pennsylvanian series. 
None of these have been at any time of great importance, although 
some salt has been produced from those at Alma, St. Marys, Osawato- 
mie, and Junction. The only brine wells that were ever commer- 
cially successful for a considerable period were those at Solomon, 
where for some years salt was made by the solar process. At 
present the plant is abandoned. 

Rock salt was discovered in the fall of 1887 and during 1888 at 
Ellsworth, Lyons, Hutchinson, Great Bend, Kanopolis, Pratt, Nick- 
erson, Sterling, Kingman, Anthony, Wellington, Rago, and Arlington. 
In 1889 it was found at Wilson and in 1895 at Little River. In sev- 
eral of these places the salt bed is 300 to 400 feet thick. These 
immense salt deposits were formed by the evaporation of bodies of 
salt water. They belong to the Permian ( ?) series and occupy a posi- 
tion intermediate between the Marion formation below and the Wel- 
lington shale above. The gypsum of Kansas usually underlies the 
salt and was probably precipitated from the same bodies of water 

1 A description of the Cheyenne Bottoms appears in vol. 2, Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, pp. 42-45, 



GEOLOGY AND UNDEKGROUND WATERS, 49 

by evaporation prior to the deposition of the salt. The relations of 
the gypsum and salt deposits to each other in Kansas is an interesting 
matter, but it is not thought pertinent to this description of the salt 
deposits. Papers by Robert Hay in the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth 
biennial reports of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, and one by 
Erasmus .Haworth in the Mineral Resources of Kansas for 1898, 
Kansas University Geological Survey, discuss the subject thoroughly. 

A peculiar salt pool at Meade is described by Robert Hay. It 
seems that in 1878 the surface of the ground suddenly sank in a cir- 
cular area over 150 feet in diameter and that a depression with steep 
sides, having in the bottom a pool of water 50 feet deep, was formed. 
From the prairie to the surface of the water is about 20 feet. The 
water had a high temperature at the time, but has since cooled. In 
the interval since its formation the pool has diminished in depth from 
the accumulation of debris from its sides. 

Many flowing salt wells in the State contribute to the salt content 
of the streams. The wells at Larned and Great Bend, which flow 
into Arkansas River, may be noted as examples. Analyses of Kansas 
salt by E. H. S. Bailey ^ show it to be very pure. Gypsum is the 
most troublesome impurity to salt manufacturers. In making salt 
by the pan process the gypsum is deposited on the pan and is some- 
what difficult and expensive to remove. Moreover, any residuum of 
gypsum in the salt prepared for commerce makes it cake and harden. 
In some instances the undesirability of gj^sum limits the scale of 
operation of those plants which take the salt from the ground by 
forcing fresh water into the salt and then withdrawing it, because 
waters containing much gypsum are unfit for the purpose and so it 
may be necessary to reject an abundant supply of water carrying 
gypsum in solution in favor of an inadequate one that is free from it. 
The production of salt in Kansas for the year 1908 was 2,588,814 
barrels and was valued at .$882,984. The production from 1888 to 
1908 was 34,050,724 barrels and was valued at $11,989,822.^ 

GYPSUM.^ 

The Kansas gypsum deposits of economic value form a belt trend- 
ing northeast and southwest across the State. The belt of exposed 
rock varies in width from 5 miles at the north to 25 miles in the 
central part, and to 140 miles near the southern line, with a length of 
230 miles. 

This area is naturally divided into three districts, which are named 
from the important centers of manufacture: The northern or Blue 
Rapids area, in Marshall County; the central or Gypsum City area, 

1 Eighth Bienn. Report Kansas State Board Agr., 1S93, pp. 167-lSO. 

2 Mineral Resources U. S., for 1898, 1900, 1908, U. S. Oeol. Survey. 

3 Abstracted from Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 5, p. 31, 

77836°— wsp 273—11 4 



50 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

in Dicldnson and Saline counties ; and the southern or Medicine Lodge 
area, in Barber and Comanche counties. These areas appear to be 
separate, but careful mapping shows a number of isolated interme- 
diate deposits, which serve to connect the northern and central areas, 
and indicate connection between the central and southern areas 
These connecting links are found near Randolph and in the reservoir 
excavation at Manhattan, in Riley County; at Longford, in the 
southern part of Clay County; and near Manchester, in the northern 
part of Dickinson County. 

From an examination of a map of west central United States with 
the gypsum deposits indicated thereon, it will be seen that if the 
northeast line of the Kansas deposits is extended it will strike the 
Fort Dodge area in Iowa, and if it is continued to the southwest it 
will strike the extensive deposits of Canadian River in Oklahoma and 
those of Texas. 

QUALITY OF UNDERGROUND WATERS, BY COUNTIES. 

For the convenience of the greater number of users of this report 
the information that has been gathered concerning the quality of 
underground waters has been assembled under county headings, but 
it is believed that this arbitrary grouping will not seriously inconven- 
ience those who, in the course of special examinations, have to make 
a more natural arrangement of the analyses, as, for instance, to 
group together the wells in the fluviatile deposits of a river. Unless 
otherwise stated, all the assays herein reported were made by H. N. 
Parker, of the United States Geological Survey. 

ALLEN COUNTY. 

As Allen County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks the prospect 
of discovering soft waters is not good. The' only analysis presented 
in the accompanying table (No. 1) is that of the waters of a deep well 
in lola, which is very salty. Assay 3, Table 1, shows the results of a 
test of the water of a deep well at Humboldt ; the water is very hard 
and contains considerable common salt. Assays 1, 2, and 4 are tests 
of shallow well waters. The first and last of these assays indicate 
high permanent hardness; the second shows very low permanent 
and high temporary hardness. Assays 5 and 6 are tests of spring 
waters, both of which have marked temporary and considerable 
permanent hardness. 



ANDEKSON COUNTY. '51 

Table 1. — Analysis and assays of underground waters of Allen County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 



ANALYSIS. 

lola well a . 



Depth 
(feet). 



Analyst. 



W. R. Kedzie. 





Iron 


Cal- 


Magne- 


(SiOa). 


(Fc). 


cium 
(Ca). 


sium 
(Mg). 


10 


21 


25G 


104 



Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na-hK). 



f(Na) a, 580 
t (K)192 



Chlo- 
rine 

(CI). 



40, 321 



No. 


Date. 


1 


1905. 
July 21 


2 


...do 


3 
4 


...do 

...do 


5 


...do 


6 


...do 


7 


...do 


8 


1907. 
Apr. 25 


9 


...do 


10 


1905. 
June 30 



ASSAYS. 

Humboldt, well at 

northwest city 

limits. 
Humboldt, v/ell at 

southeast city 

limits. 
Himiboldt, well. . . 
Humboldt, upland 

well 4 miles 

south of city. 
Humboldt, spring 

west side of river 

below dam. 
Humboldt, spring 

south of Coal 

Creek, 
lola, well near 

Atchison, Tope- 

ka and Santa Fe 

Ry. depot. 

lola, well at 702 
South Chestnut 
Street. 

lola, well at 828 
North Street. 

La Harpe, well 
one-half mile 
south and three- 
fourths mile west 
of city. 



Depth 
(feet). 



214 
20 



Analyst. 



Edward Bartow. 
do 



.do. 
.do. 



.do. 
.do. 
.do. 



Edward Bartow... 



Iron 
(Fe). 


Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 


0.0 


0.0 


365 


Trace. 


.0 


486 


.0 
.0 


.0 
.0 


461 

288 


.0 


.0 


330 


.5 


.0 


304 


.0 


.0 


396 


.5 


.0 


332 


.0 


.0 


200 


.0 


.0 


489 



Sul- 
phate. 
(SO4). 



72 

Trace. 

539 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



224 
150 258 

47 12 



36 
276 

(6) 
202 



14 
69 

146 
34 

40 



a Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 7. b SO4 greater than G26. 

ANDERSON COUNTY. 

As Anderson County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, soft waters 
are not common. No complete analyses are presented. Of the five 
water assays (Table 2), one is of a deep well water, one of a spring water, 
and the rest are of waters from wells 35 feet or less deep. The deep 
well water is very high in chlorides but is not notably hard. The 
water from the 16-foot well at Harris is soft, and that from the 15-foot 
well at Greeley has little permanent hardness, but the water from the 
35-foot well at Greeley and that from the spring at Garnett have 
great permanent hardness. 



52 QUALITY OF TPIE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Table 2. — Assays of underground waters froTn Anderson County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 


Depth 

(feet). 


Analyst. 


Iron 

(Fe). 


Car- 
bon- 
ate 
(CO3). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 


Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 


Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 


1 

9 


1905. 
June 23 

...do.... 

June 22 
...do 

June 23 


Garnett, deep well in 

southeast part of 

city. 
Garnett, spring at 

creamery on Sixth 

Street. 
Harris, well 2 miles 

north and 3 miles 

east of city. 
Greeley, well half mile 

north and 3 miles 

west of city. 
Greeley, well 1 mile 

north and one-half 

mile west of city. 




Edward Bartow.. - 
do 


33.0 


0.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 


305 
341 
123 
180 

377 


Trace. 

256 
Trace. 

150 
Trace. 


27,916 
61 


3 

4 
5 


16 
35 

15 


do 

do 

do 


.0 
.0 
.0 


108 

147 

15 



ATCHISON COUNTY. 

As Atchison County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, most of 
the waters are hard, though there may be soft waters in the glacial 
deposits. The analyses (Table 3) show that the waters from two 
deep wells and a shallow one in Atchison are very high in chlorides 
and are very hard. The assaj^s (Table 3) are tests of other Atchison 
well waters ; these waters also are hard and are much lower in chlo- 
rides than those well waters that were tested by analysis. 

Table 3. — Analyses and assays of underground waters in Atchison County. 
[Parts per million.] ^" 





















s 




^ 
























.3 ■ 






























cS 


'-s 


m 


. 




No. 


Date. 


Source. 


d- 


Analyst. 










g. 


B>5 






03 


d 











5 
ft 




m 




.l 


1 


5. 


C!3 

PI 



CI 

.Q 
03 


C3 
ft 


d 









ft 




S 


1— 1 





S 








fq 


3 
CO 









ANALYSES. 


























1907. 


























1 


Apr. 2 

1900. 


Atchison, well of 
A. B. C. laundry. 


63 


Kennicott 

Water Sof- 
tener Co. 


28 


2.7 


130 


62 


692 




474 


1G5 


1,072 


2 


Summer. 


Atchison, dia- 


a 1,353 


E. H. S. Bai- 


1 






/(Na) 9,801 
\Trace (K) 


}.... 












mond-drill pros- 
pect boring. 




ley and F. 
B. Porter. 


\ 36 


62.0 


570 


123 


2,408 


19 


15,066 


8 




Atchison, & Beck- 
er's mineral 
well.o 


I 125 


E. B. Knerr. 


18 


42.0 


420 


310 


/10,100(Na) 
t 36 (K) 


|l671 




1,109 








15,550 






ASSAYS. 


























1907. 


























1 


July 18 


Atchison, well of 
Cain Milling Co. c 


60 






10.0 








.0 


358 


98 


282 
















2 


...do.... 


Atchison, well of 
Luken's Milling 
Co.d 


46 






24.0 








.0 


319 


186 


146 



a Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 7. 
6 In valley of White Clay Creek. 



c Put down in 1893. 
d Put down in 1902. 



QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OB' KANSAS. 



53 



BARBER COUNTY. 

Most of Barber County is underlain by Permian ( ?) rocks, but in 
the northern part and in a narrow arm indenting the western side the 
Comanche series and Tertiary deposits appear. The prospect of 
finding soft water outside of the area of Tertiary deposits is poor, 
for the Comanche series covers such a restricted area that it is an 
unimportant water-bearing terrane, and the Permian ( ?) rocks yield 
in most places highly mineralized waters. All of the waters tested 
come from the Permian ( ?) rocks and are very hard. The results of 
tests of underground waters in this county are shown by the analyses 
and assays in Table 4. 

Table 4. — Analyses and assays of underground waters, Barber County. 
[Parts per million.] 





















3 




^ 






6 


■S 
























o 






fl 


"o 


















^ 


c^ 










bjO 




No. 


Date. 


Source. 


1 
ft 


Analyst. 


d 

i 




o 

"3 




3 

•3 


d 

o 

B 
<s 
a 
o 


W 

a) 

1 


d 
B 

ft 


3 

.a 

o 


o 


> 

3 








0) 






g 


rt 






C3 




3 


^n 












M 




m 




O 


M 


CQ 


U 


cq 


02 


O 


> 


H 






ANALYSES. 






























1902. 






























1 


Oct. 21 


Kiowa, surface well. 




Atchison, T o - 


7 '-" 


S R 


41 


10(1 


S(i 


•H'f 




HI 4 


66 














peka & Santa 
































Fe Ry. 


























1903. 






























?, 


Feb. 7 
Apr. 24 






do 


12 
15 




298 
100 


104 
20 


87 
32 


120 

141 




979 
98 


99 
46 


214 
19 


1,917 


S 


Kiowa, test well 
south of tank. 




.do 


471 










4 


Sept. 4 


Kiowa, Atchison, 
Topeka & Santa 




.do 




2.4 


142 


117 


129 


106 




654 


184 


171 


1,583 
















Fe Ry. well. 
































ASSAYS. 






























1907. 






























1 


Jan. 21 






















"^fiO 


(a) 


130 








1908. 






























? 


Jan. 8 


Medicine Lodge, 
well of Thos. 


Pfi 






'lY 








n 


914 


(a) 


41 








































Murphy. 





























a SO4 greater than 626. 



BARTON COUNTY.^ 

The southern half of Barton County is underlain by the Dakota 
sandstone and the northern half by shales belonging to the Benton 
group. Along Arkansas Valley the Dakota sandstone is covered by 
a considerable thickness of alluvial materials, and also, on the south 
side of the river, by large deposits of dune sands. 

The Dakota sandstone is penetrated by numerous wells, to most of 
which it furnishes satisfactory supplies of water. Some of these wells 
begin in the sandstone and are bored or dug into its lower beds. The 

1 Abstracted in large part from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 290. 



54 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

wells in the highlands in the north part of the county pass through a 
greater or less thickness of shales of the Benton and thence into the 
sandstone. A well 245 feet deep, 8 miles north and 2 miles west of 
Hoisington, penetrates 222 feet of shale before reaching the sand rock, 
where it obtains a large supply of water, which rises to within 212 feet 
of the surface. Southwest of Galatia the shale is 260 feet thick and 
the underlying sandstone furnishes a good supply of water, which 
rises to within 236 feet of the surface. At Olmitz a well 202 feet deep 
passes through the shales of the Benton into the sandstone and obtains 
a supply of very soft water, which rises to within 142 feet of the sur- 
face. A well 3 miles north of Verbeck has a depth of 244 feet, and 
the water rises to within 144 feet of the surface. 

These representative wells indicate that satisfactory supplies of 
water a.re obtainable from the Dakota sandstone through most of the 
north portion of the county, but that there are no prospects for flows. 
Several wells about Roberts, from 175 to 300 feet deep, obtain only 
salty or brackish water, of which the source'is probably the transition 
salty series at the base of the Benton shales. 

In the southern part of the county the wells are shallower and 
mostly successful. The only unsuccessful well which has been 
reported is one in sec. 17, T. 18 S., R. 12 W., which penetrated the 
Dakota sandstone 200 feet without obtaining a water supply. Four 
miles northeast of Great Bend a deep well was sunk some years ago to 
a depth of 1,365 feet to test the water supplies of the formations 
underlying the Dakota sandstone. Flowing water was obtained at 
344 feet and at somewhat over 700 feet. The first water is still flow- 
ing at the rate of 10 gallons per minute, but is too salty to be of any 
use. From 1,202 to 1,365 feet a large amount of rock salt was pene- 
trated, and some of .the overlying beds were highly gypsiferous. The 
following record is given : 

Record of deep well at Great Bend. 

Feet. 

Surface materials 0- 60 

Red sandstone 60- 75 

Red shale 75- 140 

Blue shale 140- 155 

Sandstone, brown near top, hard near bottom 155- 255 

Shale 255- 258 

Hard sandstone ' 258- 275 

Conglomerate water 275- 310 

Gray sandstone, artesian flow of salt water 310- 360 

Gray sand and shales; salt water 360- 400 

Red shale 400- 420 

Blue shale , - - 420- 425 

• Sandstone 425- 475 

Red shale with some sandstone 475-1, 110 

Blue shale... 1,110-1,240 

Salt and shale 1, 240-1, 365 



BARTON COUNTY. 55 

This well was mainly in the Permian rocks, and it is doubtful if the 
red sandstone from 60 to 75 feet belongs in the Dakota. 

The analyses and assays recorded in Table 5 were made on waters 
derived from several different water-bearing formations. The anal- 
yses of the water taken from the wells at Ellin wood and Great Bend 
show the characters of the waters derived from the fluviatile deposits 
of Arkansas River, which are characteristically high in sodium and 
sulphates. The variations in the constituents of the water of the 
Great Bend Water Supply Co. are noticeable, but they may be in part 
accounted for by the fact that the supply is derived from several wells, 
one of which — a shallow one — was abandoned about 1902. Analysis 
8 is of the water of the flowing salt Vv^ell. Information is lacking as to 
the sources of the waters in the wells at Albert and Hoisington. A 
calcic alkaline water from the well at Albert is shown by analysis 1 . 

The assays are very interesting. Nos. 1, 2, and 5 show the results 
of tests of shallow- well waters. They indicate high temporary hard- 
ness, but the permanent hardness is not great. Nos. 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 
are all tests of water from the Dakota sandstone and show very nicely 
the different degrees of mineralization that obtains in waters from the 
upper part of the formation. Nos. 3 and 4 show waters low in chlo- 
rides and sulphates. These waters, except for the temporary hard- 
ness, which is not great for the region, are very satisfactory for domes- 
tic and industrial use. Nos. 6, 7, and 8 are tests of waters that are 
successively higher in sulphates and chlorides. Their use in the house- 
hold would cause large soap consumption and in boilers they might 
be expected to form scale rapidly. They could not be softened with- 
out increasing their tendency to foam. These three v/aters are 
derived from wells in the gypsiferous and saliferous shales of the 
Dakota. Probably by casing off the water from these shales and sink- 
ing the wells deeper into the Dakota good water could be obtained. 

Tests of waters from shallow wells in the Cheyenne Bottoms, an 
alkali basin of over 30,000 acres in area, which receives the waters of 
Blood Creek and which has only a partial outlet, are recorded in 
assays 9-13, inclusive. It is beheved that the evaporation in the 
basin is very intense and that thereby the waters become con- 
centrated. The water of the well at the St. Regis Club House is 
particularly highly mineralized, and it is to be hoped that a com- 
plete mineral analysis of water from this well will sometime be made. 
Assays 14 and 15 are tests of shallow wells in the fluviatile deposits of 
Arkansas River. • 



56 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Total 
dis- 
solved 
solids. 








C-l O t^ 'M 


^ 




















Vola- 
tile 
and or- 
ganic. 








(M-^CO 




CO 






















oooico iOOiO oaicc i^co oiooo coo oo 

.-HO -^ CJ O 
















CD 
























1 '"'~- 

"3 So 


0>01- CO.-MCO COOj^ .O . OS «JO M 
CO CO CO I— < -;1^ (M t^ T-< ^ O O O t-1 T- 
"* t5 S S 2 

ir< Eh Eh e 


- 


1 0)^ 

.118 














c» 




aico oicococo ooco oc 

C-l-r' Oi-HCDi-l 010 Cv 
C.JIM COCOCO-3< -:((-^ c 


c3 dO 


o 
00 ttj CT> cncco: 


00 0000 00 


Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na-t-K). 


.-1 CS T C) ,-. lO 0^03 

CO O 03 o-i<t^ t^ioc^ 


















Mag- 
ne- 
sium 
(Mg). 


CO -t^ l^ COCDCO COC^^ 
T-( (N C^l TtiT-ICO (M C3 ^ 
CD 


















Hi 


00 lO c» COCOiO IMCSO 

Oi .-1 O OCC'-O OCD.-I 

,-H .-1 T-H r-HCa .-H 


















Is 


CO 
O ^ rH 






CO 


(M 00 000c 





Silica 
(SiOs). 


COCO 

CO T-H c:i p6cD-t^ OO^ 
CO (M .-1 rt IM-*(M 




















"3 
a 
< 


■3 •« 
S-9 -fa 


C 


c 


c 


e 
tj 

o 

fa 


3> 

'5 

a; 

M 
fa 


1 

ft, 








- 














If 










o 


o 




8S S 


CO c 

c^ 


»o . -^ 

<;_j t^ T" CO t^ CO 
^ ^ CO ^ ^ 

CO 


3 
o 


1 1 


% 
-a 

1 


! 

J- 

5 

c 

o 


% 
o 

•a 
c 

(5 
O 


o 

■a 


~C) 

■3 

^ 

fig 

5I 

am 

OW 


&n - ■ <ica " fh t> ~ cj rt - 

r^ ^0^ ^ ^'&^^ ^ i-^uo'-'co ^0 
■5 i ^ .° °^o -oo "S .Oc3 0-:: 

J ta !j(+^ P t)0_y t!rj_y er."!-* ht >-., • bfij^, bu >, ' t£ .. 

csj:i3d'3c-3a-agfea.ia£fe:a.i4 
•E2-3.£p3-So-S§-SH-s5^-^ri5M£l^-Sg 
ooh:i«o3oSoSJo ftSocco ftSo ^ 

KM W W W W WW W 




»o (M in ^Hco Oi .-) 

.-1 CN .-1 COrt C<1 CO 

COO t^faS -=; 




log 








d 


d 







d 


'^ 


!N 


CO 


-* 


>o 


u= 


t* 


00 


0: 


^ 


IM 


CO 


^ 


10 


CO 


t~ 


00 


01 





BARTON COUNTY. 



57 



































U3 O »0 O '^ lO O 
to CO -* lO (N 00 -!!< 
r-l CO 00 rH rH 


















r^ cq CO »c rt* t-- 
■* CO T' o r^ C3 

rH (N ^< ;g- lO ,-1 


CD lO C-l C^ O <>) -i< 

-:< -5> CO CO CO oi Si 


o • o o o o o o 


















































o o o o c: 


c 


. o 


































o -* 

C3 ,- 


s s y l\ 1 


c 

C 

c 

c 
p 
'c 

-t 
t 

e 


son in Lheyenne Basin, SE. i 
sec. 10, T. 18 S., R. 13 W. 

Hoisington, well of Jolin Hall in 
Cheyenne Basin, NW. J sec. 10, 
T. 18S., R.13 W. 

Hoisington, well of J. B. Prose in 
Cheyenne Basin, NW. J S3C. 24, 
T. 18 S., R. 13 W. 

Hoisington, well of Gus r.owe in 
Cheyenne Basin, NW. i sec. 26, 
T. 18S., R. 13 W. 

Hoisington, well at St. Regis Club 
House of Great Bend Sports- 
men's A.ssociation in Cheyenne 
Basin, SW. J sec. 12, T. 18 S., 
R. 13 W. 

Great Bend, well of A.tchison, To- 
peka & Santa Fc Rv. 

Great Bend, shallow well of Great 
Bend Water Co. 


c 


c 


c 


c 






c 






c^ 


^ 




cc 








Ol 


^ 




o 


<> 








rel 












n 


> 


03 


a 


n> 


■/) 


^ 


^ 



6« 



<i4 



58 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



BOURBON COUNTY. 

As Bourbon County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks hard 
waters are to be expected. 

The Fort Scott artesian well is 510 feet deep. At 380 feet salt 
water was struck, which rose to within 18 feet of the mouth of the 
well; at 510 feet water of a different character was found, and the 
well became a flowing one. The deeper water is probably derived 
from the Ozark dome. The water is sulphosaline in character. 
The well of the Hotel Goodlander is 700 feet deep and the water is of 
a sulphomagnesian character. 

Assays 3, 4, and 5, Table 6, represent tests of deep well waters. 
The waters have a sulphur odor, high chlorides, and high temporary 
hardness. Marked permanent hardness is shown by assay 5, while 
assays 3 and 4 indicate less. Assay 8, which was made on water 
from a prospect hole 500 feet deep, shows the chlorides and temporary 
hardness to be greater than in any other well water in the county 
that was tested; the softest water is indicated by assay 10. Assays 
1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 11, and 12 are tests of waters from shallow wells; all of 
the waters are hard, but that of which assay 12 is a test is decidedly 
the hardest. 



Table 6. — Analyses and assays of underground waters, Bourbon County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Source. . 


Depth 
(feet). 


Silica 
(Si02). 


Iron 
(Fe). 


Cal- 
cium 
(Ca). 


Magne- 
sium 
(Mf). 


Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na+K). 


Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 


Chlo- 
rine 

(Cl). 


1 
2 


ANALYSES. 

Fort Scott, a Fort Scott artesian. . 

Fort Scott, c well south of Hotel 
Goodlander. 


0510 
6 700 


16 
20 


5.4 
2.1 


70 
76 


35 
36 


(Na) 550 

(K) Tr. 

(Na) 594 

(K)10 


10 
6.2 


937 
944 



a Flowing well 021 feet deep; at 380 feet salt water was encountered, which rose to within 18 feet of sur- 
face; at 510 feet water of different composition was struck, which began flowing from well. Sample as 
analyzed probably is a mixture of waters at diilerent depths. Slight odor of sulphureted hydrogen. 

b Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 7. 

c Al, 7.6; Bj07, 11; S, 20. 



BROWN COUNTY. 59 

Table 6. — Analyses and assays of underground waters, Bourbon County — Continued. 



No. 


Date. 


1 


1905. 
July 1 


2 


July 29 


3 


...do.... 


4 


July 27 


5 


...do.... 


6 


...do.... 


7 


July 1 


8 
9 


...do.... 

July 27 


10 


...do.... 


11 


...do.... 


12 


...do.... 



Fort Scott, flowing 
well in northwest- 
ern part of city , be- 
tween Mill Creek 
and M a r m a t o n 
River. 

Fort Scott, well at 
Locust Street and 
Scott Avenue. 

Fort Scott, Kramer 
deep well. '' 

Fort Scott, Missouri 
Pacific Ry. well. 

Fort Scott, artesian 
well of Bridal Veil 
Park, d 

Fort Scott, well of 
Henry Wagner, 3 
miles west of city. 

Fulton, well at cream- 
ery. 

Fulton, drilled well e 

Garland, shallow dug 
well. 

Garland, spring, 2 
miles south and 3i 
miles west of city!" 

Marmaton, dug well 
of J. Seaman. 

Marmaton, drilled 
well of J. Pulling. 



Depth 
(feet). 



35-40 
500 



35 
/40 



Analyst. 



Edward Bartow, 



Iron 

(Fe). 



2.5 
.0 



Car- I Bicar- 
bonate I bonate 
(CO3). KHCOs). 



304 



279 

427 
481 
294 

370 

384 

582 
156 

210 

299 
391 



Sul- 
phate 
(SOi). 



400 

Tr. 
40 



65 

222 

47 
229 

38 

574 
626 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



509 



79 

891 

c 1,017 

920 

14 

138 

1,630 
34 



311 

45 



a Water from rock. 

b Odor of sulphureted hydrogen. Water used at baths. 

c Chlorine possibly high on account of presence of sulphides. 

d Odor of sulphureted hydrogen. 

e Drilled for oil; eased 40 feet; abandoned. Water rises to within 22 feet of surface. 

/ Water at 25 feet. 

BROWN COUNTY. 

As Brown County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks prospects 
for soft waters are poor, but possibly soft waters may be found in the 
glacial deposits which, are spread over this and adjoining counties. 

The analysis and assay 4 (Table 7) represent tests of well waters 
in the valleys of Little Delaware and Mission creeks, and show that 
these two waters have considerable permanent hardness. The other 
assays are tests of waters that have very little permanent hardness 
and are beheved to be derived from wells sunk in glacial deposits. 



60 QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Table 7. — Analysis and assays of underground waters in Brotvn County. 
[Parts per million.] 

















^, 






































No. 


Date. 


Source. 


ft 


Analyst. 


Pi 
o 






■is 

r/3 


O 

o 

(D 

o 

5 


c5 

0) 

ft 

CO 


G 

.1 

o 

6 


"3 

"3 

O 






ANALYSIS. 
























190S. 
























1 


September 


Horton, well of Chi- 
cago, Rock Island & 
Pacific Ry. 


30 


Chicago, Rock Island 
& Pacific Ry. 


nO.l 


46 


14 


16 


87 


41 


13 


025 



No. 


Date. 


1 


1907. 
July 19 


2 


July 20 


3 


July 20 


4 


July 16 


5 


July 20 



Source. 



Hiawatha, tap in Hotel Moreland, city 
water, 3 wells 

Hiawatha, well of Barnum & Sutley on 
Iowa Street b 

Hiawatha, well of Sally Wahlthall. on 
Delaware Street, between First and 
Second c 

Horton, well of Horton Light & Power 
Co 



Depth 

(feet). 



Iron 

(Fe). 



Carbo- | Bicar- 
nate i bonate 
(COs). (HCO3). 



r^^- 



Reserve, well of H. B. Willard, sec. 1, 
T. 1 S.,R. 16 E 




.0 

Tr. 



50 



0.0 
.0 

.0 
.0 

.0 



324 
332 

332 
307 
263 



Sul- 
phate 

(S04) 



Tr. 
Tr. 

Tr. 

52 

Tr. 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



a Si02+Fe203-I-Al203. 

b Used for ice manufacture and for swimming pool. 

c Well roars and becomes turbid on approach of a storm. 



BUTLER COUNTY. 



The extreme eastern edge of Butler County is underlain by Penn- 
sylvanian rocks, but elsewhere in the county the rocks belong to the 
Permian ( ?) series. The ground waters, therefore, may be expected 
to be hard and highly mineralized. 

Table 8 shows the results of tests of well waters in the valley of 
Walnut River and its tributaries. These waters are shown to have 
high temporary and permanent hardness. The only assay is a test 
of the city water at Eldorado, which is hard. 



CI-IASE COUNTY. 



61 



Table 8. — Analyses and assay of well waters in Butler County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No- 


Date. 




1902. 


1 


Oct. 22 




1903. 


2 


Oct. 21 


3 




4 




5 






1902. 


6 


Sept. 25 


7 


Sept. 30 




1907. 


1 


May 12 



Source. 



ANALYSES. 

Augusta, well. 



Augusta, Atchi- 
son, Topeka & 
Santa Fe Ry. 
well. 

Augusta, private 
well near north- 
west corner of 
city.b 

Augusta, c well one- 
half mile south 
of No. 3. a 

Augusta <i one of 
Atchison, Tope- 
ka & Santa Fe 
Ry. wells. 

Douglass, well 



Eldorado, well 

ASSAY. 

Eldorado, city 
water, well, and 
laterals. 



Analyst. 



Atchison, Tope- 
ka & Santa Fe 

do 



Archie J. Weitho. 

do 

do 



Atchison, Tope- 
ka & Santa 
Fe Rv.o 

....do: 



16 



0.6 



Tr. 



Tr. 



130 



153 



205 



168 



701 

844 

1,487 
518 



a Made at laboratories of the University of Kansas. 
b In Whitewater River flats. 



c In Whitewater River bottom. 
d In Walnut River flats. 



CHASE COUNTY. 

Chase County is underlain by Permian and Pennsylvanian rocks, 
both of which normally yield highly mineralized hard waters. 

Analysis 3 (Table 9) shows a salt water, and analysis 2 a water of 
high temporary and low permanent hardness. Analyses 1, 5, and 
particularly 4 signify that the waters of which they are tests have 
marked perm9,nent hardness. The waters assayed have high tem- 
porary and permanent hardness. 

All of the tested well waters of Chase County are from the valley 
of Cottonwood River, and the analyses and assays should be com- 
pared with those waters at Durham, Marion, Florence, and Peabody 
in Marion County, with the analysis at Braddocks in Harvey County, 
and with the analysis at Emporia in Lyon County, which represent 
waters in the valleys of Cottonwood River and its tributaries. Such 
a comparison reveals the fact that the permanent hardness of all the 
shallow well waters and of some of the spring waters is decidedly 
high. 



62 



QUALITY GF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Table 9. — Analyses and assays of underground toaters of Chase County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 




Analyst. 


O 
m 

o 
m 


a 
2 


a 


"3 

a 


1 

i| 

o 
m 


O 

o 

a 
o 
,p 
S 
o 


O 
o 

o 

a 

o 

s 


d 

02 

1 
ft 
3 

02 


O 
1 


a 


6 

1 

;h 
O 

a 

c3 

_2 

C3 

"o 

> 


s 

o 


E-- 


1 
2 

3 


1897. 
Apr. 8 

1908. 
July 

1902. 
Sept. 30 

Sept. 23 

1897. 
Apr. 7 

1905. 
July 28 

...do 

...do 


-4.NALYSES. 

Clements, At- 
chison, Tope- 
ka & Santa Fe 
Ry. 

Cottonwood 
Falls, spring 
(new public 
supply).o 

Elmdale, arte- 
sian well. 

S af fordville, 
surface well. 

Strong City, At- 
chison, Tope- 
ka & Santa Fe 
Ry. well. 

ASSAYS. 

Cottonwood 
Falls, dug 
well at court- 
house. 

Cottonwood 
Falls, well 4 
miles east of 
city. 

Elmdale, well... 


Atchison, To- 
pekait San- 
ta FeRy. 

Archie J . 
Weith. 

Atchison, To- 
peka & San- 
ta Fe Rv- 
do....'.... 


19 
9.4 

54 
20 
8.0 


0.4 

.? 
Tr. 

.0 
.0 

n 


122 
98 

17 
98 
128 


20 
12 

Tr. 
29 
IS 


15 
11 

29 
28 
5.5 


174 

0.0 

48 
5(5' 
198 

.0 
.0 
.0 


333 

379 
385 
W5 


94 
8.2 

7.7 
304 
59 

344 
61 
113 


0.56 


23 

4 

12 
12 

0.4 

124 
24 

438 


66 


526 

287 


4 






S 
1 


31 

35 


do 

Edward Jiar- 
tow. 

do 

do 


20 


443 


2 






?, 























a Made at laboratories of University of Kansas. 
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY. 

Chautauqua County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, which 
may be expected to yield hard waters. Not much is known about 
the composition of the ground waters of the county, as only two of 
them were tested. Both the analysis and the assay (Table 10) show 
hard waters. 



CHEROKEE COUNTY. 63 

Table 10. — Ancnys s and assay of underground ivaters from Chautauqua County. 

[Parts per million.] 

























r, 
























03 . 






















































'^ 


°\A 


o 




"^ 




No. 


Date. 


Source. 


1 
P. 


Analyst. 


C 

o 


"a? 

d 
o 


O 

"a 

O 


a 

1^ 


|g 
'S.d 

O M 

CO 


o 

o 

03 
O 


°o 
SB 

o 


o 

a> 

.d 
ft 


3 
o 






ANALYSIS. 


























1S97. 


























1 


Apr. 7 
1907. 


Chautauqua Springs, Chau- 
tauqua springs.^ 

ASSAY. 




E. n. S. Bailey and E. C. 
Franklin. 


28 


2.4 


37 


8.4 


27 


109 




49 


34 


1 


May 10 


Cedarvale, well of Fred 


;^s 


















H'^.5 


fM 


,V^4 






Cox, on Main Street. 

























a Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. ' 



6 SO4 greater than 626. 



CHEROKEE COUNTY. 

Pennsylvanian rocks underlie all of Cherokee County except the 
southeast corner, which is underlain by Mississippian rocks. There 
are two distinct sources of water supply in this county — the shallow 
wells, most of which yield hard waters, and the deep wells, whose 
waters come from the Ozark dome and are not uncommonly high in 
sodium and chlorides and usually smell of hydrogen sulphide. 

The results of tests of underground waters in Cherokee County are 
recorded in Table 1 1 . Analysis 1 represents a test of a deep well 
water at Columbus ; assay 9 is a test of the same water and indicates 
higher sulphates than are indicated by the analysis. Analysis 3 
shows the water of the deep well at Empire to be low in sulphates, 
differing in this respect from assay 12, which indicates high sulphates 
and low alkalinity. Assays 16, 21, and 27 are also tests of deep 
well waters, and all of them, except assay 16, indicate hard waters. 
Assays 1, 10, 14, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26 are tests of shallow 
well waters. Two of these, 19 and 20, indicate high temporary 
hardness, and all show marked permanent hardness. Marked per- 
manent hardness is shown, too, by assays 2, 3, and 13, which are 
tests of waters from three wells somewhat deeper than the shallow 
ones. Assay 1 is a test of a soft water. Assays 4 to 7 are tests of 
the waters of the well-known springs at Baxter. Assays 11, 15, and 
17 are also tests of spring waters, and these appear to be rather softer 
than those at Baxter. 



64 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Table 11. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Cherokee County. 
[Parts ijer Tnillion.] 





















cS . 






































No. 


Date. 


Source. 




Analyst. 


O 


t 


C3 

6 


1 


aw 

d <^ 


C 
d 


d 


o 

a; 

d 


1 

1 








^ 








s 




3 ^ 


o 


.d 












Ph 




i3 


d 
o 


■s 


03 


'O.S 

O M 


S 


•3 


o 


o 








fi 




m 


M 


o 


y 


OQ 


O 


CJ 


U 


H 






ANALYSES. 






















1 




Columbus, well ab — 


1 Am 


G. H. Failyerand 


ri 7 


n 4 


4S 


22 


(Na) 115 




14 


3fi 












J. T. Willard. 










(K) 3.4 












1901. 


























2 


June 
1899. 


Baxter Springs, spring 
No. 2. a 




A. B. Knerr 


18 


y.G 


126 


5.4 


(Na) 12 
(K) 4 2 


246 


142 


16 




3 


Dec. 27 


Empire, waterworks 
weD. c 






17 


S 9 


S7 


1 n 






''■■1 


5 


2S2 





























No. 



Date. 



Source. 



Analyst. 





OJ 


CD 






+J 


■g 




^ 




d ^^ 


03 ■ 


a) 


oo 




^o 


c 




03 tn 




O 


03 


.X *-^ 


D 


'-' 


a 


pq 


GQ 


0.0 


0.0 


261 


Tr. 


.0 


.0 


229 


79 


2.5 


.0 


256 


383 


2.0 


.0 


239 


16S 


.0 


.0 


243 


130 


.0 


.0 


96 


56 


.5 


.0 


213 


119 


.0 


.0 


134 


(h) 


.0 


.0 


341 


60 


.0 


.0 


36 


88 


.0 


.0 


71 


Tr. 


.0 


.0 


279 


84 


Tr. 


.0 


80 


119 


.0 


.0 


162 


113 


.0 


.0 


210 


37 


.0 


.0 


168 


Tr. 





.0 


133 


42 


.0 


.0 


187 


328 


.0 


.0 


299 


56 


Tr. 


.0 


406 


530 


l.S 


.0 


117 


86 





.0 


7.8 


238 


Tr. 


.0 


116 


C) 





1905. 


1 


July 10 


2 


...do... 


3 


...do... 


4 


...do... 


5 


...do... 


6 


...do... 


7 


...do... 


8 


July 14 


9 


...do... 


10 


...do... 


11 


...do... 


12 


...do... 


13 


July 13 


14 


...do... 


15 


...do... 


16 


July 12 


17 


July 13 


18 


July 15 


19 


July 10 


20 


...do... 


21 


...do... 


22 


...do... 



23 



...do.. 



Baxter Springs, city well at River and 

Military Streets. 
Baxter Springs, well of Dr. C. M. Jones d. 
Baxter Springs, well of St. Louis and San 

Francisco R. R.« 

Baxter Springs, spring No. 1 

Baxter Springs, spring No. 2 / 

Baxter Springs, spring of Mr. Newhouso 

on north side of Spring Creek. 
Baxter Springs, "Doty Spring " on north 

side of Spring Creek.? 
Columbus, dug well of Hotel Middaugh.. 

Columbus, well of waterworks 

Columbus, well 1 mile south and three- 
fourths mile east of city, i 
Columbus, spring one-half mile south and 

one-fourth mile west of city, i 

Empire well of waterworks k 

Empire well I 

Empire well 2 miles north and 2 miles 

west of city. 

Empire, Chico Spring west of city 

Galena m 

Galena, TiUman Spring northeast of city. 

Hallowell, city weU.. 

Lowell, citv well « 

Lowell, well of C. S. Yost - 

Scammon, well of city waterworks 

Scammon, well at Second Street and 

Sixth .Avenue. 
Scammon, shallow well 2 miles north of 

city. 



225 
285 



1,400 
31 



Edward Bartow. 

....do 

---.do..; 

do 



1,004 

125 

20 



....do.... 

...do 

....do 

....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 
....do.... 



816 
22 



Edward Bartow. 
..-.do 



.do. 



14 
6.6 

15 
20 
25 



91 
40 

178 

9.7 

9.2 
22 
65 

22 
6.6 
12 
32 
30 
50 
25 
86 

20 



a Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 7. 
b Lithium (Li), 1; manganese (Mn), 2; S2O3, 8.4. 

c The well is 1,004 feet deep and 10 inches in diameter to 175 feet 6J inches to 320 feet and 4 inches to the 
bottom. 

d Drilled May, 1904. Is used by the Baxter Mineral Springs Water Co. to supply the city. 
e Sample taken from tank. 
/ 125 feet southeast of spring No. 1. 
g Situated at edge of Spring Creek in back yard, 
ft SO4 greater than 626. 
j Dug in 1869. Has never failed. 
;" Water peddled in city. 
* No longer used as source of public supply. 
I Originally a prospect hole. 
m Used at the ice plant and sold in the city. 

■n At 20 feet a gravel stratum yields some water; this weU is reputed the softest of the city. 
SO4 greater than 626. 



CHEYENNE COUNTY. 



65 



Table 11. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Cherokee County — Cont'd. 



No. 


Date. 




1905. 


24^ 


July 10 


25 


...do.... 


26 


...do.... 


27 


...do.... 



Som"ce. 



ASSAYS — continued . 

■\Veir, well south of Main Street, one-half 
mile west of St. Louis and San Fran- 
cisco R. R. tracks, a 

Weir, shallow well south of Main Street, 
one-half mile west of St. Louis and San 
Francisco R. R.a 

Weir, weU 5 blocks west and 1 hlock south 
of Main Street and St. Louis and San 
Francisco R. R. tracks. 

Weir, well at ice plant b 



Analvst. 



. .. Edward Barlow 

do 

18 do 

525i do 





(D 


n. 


■r 




SO 






a 








o 


03 




3 




O 


m 


m 


0.0 


0.0 


185 


530 


Tr. 


.0 


16 


202 


Tr. 


.0 


239 


56 


.0 


.0 


462 


35 



a Water 3 feet from surface. 



b Used for public water supply. 



CHEYENNE COUNTY/ 

Cheyenne Count37^ occupies a region of high plains traversed by 
Republican River, which has cut a valley about 200 feet below the 
general ])lain surface. Tlie highlands are covered \vith Tertiar}^ grit, 
which, as revealed in Republican and Arikaree valle3^s, is underlain 
by Pierre sliale. The Niobrara chalk and limestone lie at a depth of 
1,000 feet or more, but their precise position has not been ascertained. 
The thickness of this formation and the underlying Bentcn group is 
about 900 feet in northwest Kansas, and the depth to the Dakota 
sandstone is probably over 2,300 feet in Cheyenne County. Un- 
doubtedly, this sandstone contains water under sufficient pressure 
to rise several hundred feet in a well but not enough to afford a flow, 
even in the deeper valleys. Apparently the beds lie nearly level or 
dip slightly to the west. So far as is known, there have been no 
borings in the county sufficiently deep to reach the chalk. On the 
high plains good water supplies for pump wells are usually obtained 
by sinking deeply into the "mortar beds," or Tertiary grit, and in 
the valleys the alluvial deposits usually yield considerable water. 
It is by no means uncommon in Cheyenne County to find valleys 
along the principal tributaries of the Republican River well watered 
the year round without any artificial application. The valleys have 
been eroded to the base of the Tertiary, and an outlet to the general 
body of underground water has thus been provided, so that constant 
seepage is in progress, forming pools of living water here and there 
along the streams, and in places saturating the soil of the valleys to 
so great an extent that even in dry seasons further application of 
water is not desirable. 

' Abstracted in large part from Prof. Paper U, S. Gaol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 292, and from Report 
p[ the Board of Irrigfition Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 1896 to the Legislature of Kansas, p. 99. 

7T836°^WSP 273—11 5 



66 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Cheyenne County is interesting to the student of the water problem 
on account of the general diversity of conditions existing. In the 
central part of the county, and again to the northwest and north, 
certain areas of Cretaceous rocks are exposed. Even in the very 
center of the county, at St. Francis, is a small shale area sufficient to 
interfere materially with the production of water. In few counties 
in the State have more wells been drilled than in this, and in few 
localities have the people been more determined to obtain water from 
the Cretaceous shales than here, but almost every attempt has failed. 
Success following such efforts has probably been due to fissures in 
the shale leading off from the Tertiary water. The evidence given 
by the wells also seejns to indicate that the surface of the Cretaceous 
floor is more irregular here than in most localities. Two wells are 
reported only a few yards apart, one of which is wholly in the Cre- 
taceous deposits, while the other is wholly in the Tertiary. 

The only available analysis (Table 12) is of a soft water from a well 
in St. Francis. The assays (Table 12) are tests of shallow well 
waters in the Republican River valley and indicate soft waters. 

Table 12. — Analysis and assays of well ivatersfrom Cheyenne County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 


1 

ft 
ft 


Analyst. 


a 


s 

=1 
'S 

o 


i 

1 


C3 


O 
Q 

0) 
03 

a 

1 

o 


o 
o 

a 
s 

a 
o 

1 

s 


6 

M 
a> 


Q 

o 

3 
o 


1 


1909. 

1907. 
Oct. 4 

...do... 

...do... 


ANALYSIS. 


30 

10 
20 
30 


Chicago, Burlington & 
Quincy R. R. 


a76 

.0 
.0 
.0 


75 


26 


72 


216 

.0 
.0 
.0 


211 

271 
280 


54 

Tr. 

Tr. 
Tr. 


''4 


1 


ASSAYS. 

St. Francis, well at court- 
house. 

St. Francis, well at Com- 
mercial Hotel. 

St. Francis, well of Chicago, 
Burlington & Quincy 
R. R. 


1") 


? 










9ei 


3 










?o 















a SiOz-l-FesOs-l-AJzOa. 
CLAKK COUNTY. 

Clark County extends from the high plains on the divide south of 
Arkansas River into Cimarron Valley. The plains are capped by 
Tertiary deposits underlain to the north by Dakota sandstone ^nd 
to the south by lower Cretaceous sandstones and shales. To the 
south the underlying ''Red Beds" are exposed over a wide area. 
To the north water for pump wells is obtained from the basal portion 
of the Tertiary deposits and from the underlying sandstones. In the 
''Red Beds" area the alluvial deposits in the valleys are the only 



CLARK COUNTY. 



67 



sources of supply. Some years ago an attempt was made near Lex- 
ington to obtain water in the "Red Beds" by boring 300 feet deep, 
but only salt water was obtained. No artesian fresh waters are to 
be expected in this county from the "Red Beds/' and as this forma- 
tion is probably very thick, the outlook is discouraging.'^ 

The two analyses (Table 13) represent very different types of water. 
Analysis 1 is a test of water from the Permian deposits; analysis 2 
shows the quality of water from the Tertiary. The former is hard, 
for it is high in calcium and sulphates ; the latter is soft and satisfac- 
tory. The assays in Table 13 represent tests of waters from the 
Permian rocks. These waters are highly mineralized and all except 
the two, of which assays 5 and 9 are tests, have great permanent 
hardness. Assays 6 and 7 show waters very high in chlorides. 

Table 13. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Clark County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 



Date. 



Source. 



Analyst. 











ca 














































'buO 


=^M 


n 


^ 




o 


a 
2 


1 


3 

"i 

a 


-0 + 

a 03 

la' 

.2 P 

8 


03 

c 

O 

03 

o 




Q 

a 
_o 

2 


60 


Tr. 


lU 


42 


43 


196 


155 


45 




68.9 


60 


15 


16 


117 


25 


16 



1902. 
Oct. 25 



1908. 
Sept. 



ANALYSES. 

Englewood, surface well. 
Minneola, well 



125 



Atchison, Topeka & 
Santa Fe Ry. 

Chicago, Rock Island 
& Pacific Ry. 



258 



No. 



Date. 



Source. 



1908. 
Jan. 2 

...do 

...do.... 
...do.... 

1907. 
Dec. 31 

...do.... 

...do.... 

...do.... 

...do.... 



Ashland, well at sehooLhouse . 

Ashland, public well c 

Ashland, well of Frank Abelf*. 
Ashland, well of F. P. Kerns. . 



Englewood, well of Englewood Light & Water Co. 

at edge of Five Mile Creek north of block 51 

Englewood, well at Third Street and Claremont 

Avenue 

Englewood, well at Price restaurant, Fourth 

Street, block 32 

Englewood, well of Alva Milling & Elevator Co., 

north of block 51 

Englewood, public well on Third Street, a little 

northeast of the well of Englewood Light & 

Water Co 



Tr. 
.0 
.0 
.0 



0.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 



222 
245 
258 
197 



326 
430 
445 
317 



344 
430 
492 
492 



70 

(0 



286 
36 



26 

359 

41 

26 



36 

1,017 

1,198 

226 

36 



a Description abstracted from Prof. Paper XJ. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, p. 292. 

6Si02+Fe203+Al203. 

c 35 feet to water. 



d 25 feet to water. 

« SOigreater than 626. 



68 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

CLAY COUNTY. 

Clay County is immediately underlain by Permian rocks, except 
in the western and northern parts, which are" underlain by the Dakota 
sandstone. 

Analysis 1, Table 14, shows that the city water at Clay Center, 
which is derived from wells in the fluviatile deposits of Republican 
River, is very hard. Analysis 2 represents a test of water in a shallow 
well and indicates low permanent and high temporary hardness. 
The assays were made on the same waters that were tested by the 
two analyses and confirm the results. 

Table 14. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from. Clay County. 
[Parts per million.] 





















s 




^ 








-a 




















M 




o 






■f^ 






















Im 


CD 
n 




o 




o 


> 
1 

3 

o 


No. 


Date. 


Source. 


43 


Analyst. 


o 

m 


PI 
2 

l-H 


o 

a" 

3 

o 




"2 + 

g 03 

o 


■2 

c3 

a 
o 

O 


03 

a 
o 

5 


CO 

a 
ft 

D 


o 

S 

o 

s 

o 


13 

a 

03 

O 
> 






ANALYSES. 






























1908. 






























1 


Sept. 


Clay Center, city wa- 
terworks, 5 wells. 


2&-38 


Chicago, Rock Is- 
land & Pacific 
Ry. 

Missouri Pacific 




a 22 


186 


41 


28 


193 




321 


27 




818 


2 


...do 


Clifton, city water- 


60 


32 


1.3 


62 


25 


35 


169 




29 


15 


9.2 


378 






works, wells. 




Ry. 




























ASSAYS. 






























1907. 






























1 


Feb. 26 


Clay Center, public 
water supply from 5 


26-38 






(1 


^ 









358 


3'>8 


'4 








































wells. 




























■> 


Feb. 25 


Clifton, public water 
supply, well. 


6 60 






'I'r 








(1 


'-^63 


'IV 


14 




































S 


Aug. 5 


do 


^60 






.0 








.0 


253 


Tr. 


20 

























a Si02-t-Fe203-l-Al203 



6 Water stratum at 53 feet. 



CLOUD COUNTY. 

In Cloud County the divide between Solomon and Republican 
rivers is capped by Benton shale and the lower lands are excavated 
in Dakota sandstone. This sandstone 3delds water to many shallow 
wells, both in the area of its outcrop and on the divide,, in borings 
which pass through 25 to 150 feet of Benton shale. The conditions 
are unfavorable for artesian waters. The Dakota sandstone is under- 
lain by shale, sandstone, and limestone of the Permian series, which 
are probably several hundred feet thick, and although these rocks 
as a rule contain water under considerable pressure, it is ordinarily 
too salty for domestic use.^ 

1 Description abstracted from Prof, Paper XJ, S, Geol. Survey No. 32, p. 292, 



CLOUD COUNTY. 



69 



Os a 



Total 
dis- 
solved 
solids. 




C31 
-** 




OC 












Vola- 
tile 
and 
organic. 










g- 










O 0)^ 


rH CO Ti< -^ COt^CO 010 
« 00 10 01 ^rt MlOit5 


1 '^'-^ 


10 1^ ■* ^rocsov otoiN 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 














CO -f CO 1 


Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 

161 
160 

474 

179 

255 
182 
117 

.0 
.0 

.0 


Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
'(Na+K). 


(M ^ t^ 00 t^ t^ 








Pi 


05 10 CO 06 i-i 0^ 








3|l 


c^i a> -f CO .-1 Th 00 

OS 00 CC C5 CO 
CO (M.-( 










00 ■ ;J flCC^ ^ 

T-; ^ IM O-^Jio OC 





OS'S 

So 


C<l 




0; r^ CO 








Analyst. 


53 =a »3 .2 
a a 

e a c M 

5 1 £ =« > 

;s ^ grt ^ cS 

t «^ ""«■ ^ 1 

1 as al i>5 

go §§ 8'3 2^g 
go If^ |oP B^.^ 

W <; I5i 





a 

o3 
02 

ft 


2 CU 








Depth 

(feet). 



CO 


CO 00 


i^ ^ 


3 



T3 33 
3 oj 

N« 1 1 

'0 -^ '-p 

■at "« S 
000 




■a 


1 
1 

s 





■qj 
£: 



I 
l-s 


% 
> 

3 
C 

5 


11 i 

■::^ -2 k 0'-' 

1 St « 

oT 6 2 

00 


P 


00 

oi _ 06 . m 


Oi ft 
CO 




05 CM iC CO 

1—1 , <M 


1 


i-H (M CO '^ 10 


CO 


t^ 


1— i 


w 


CO 


1 



10 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



In Table 15, analyses 1 to 5 record tests of wells in Republican 
River valley. Of these five, 2, 3, and 5 show high chlorides, and all 
of them, especially Nos. 2 and 5, indicate hard waters. Analysis 6 
shows a very satisfactory water from a well in the valley of Buffalo 
Creek. The results shown in analysis 7 indicate a rather hard water. 
Assays 1 and 2 show waters of marked temporary hardness. Assay 3 
shows a water of marked permanent hardness. 

COFFEY COUNTY. 

Coffey County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, which may be 
expected to yield hard waters. All of the assays in Table 16, except 
Nos. 6 and 7, show waters of high temporary and permanent hard- 
ness; assays 2 and 4 indicate high chlorides. 

Table 16.^ — Assays of underground ivaters from Coffey County. 
\ Parts per million.] 



No. 



Source. 



Analyst. 







^ 








o 






^-^ 


C) 






n 


tt 


^-• 




C) 




O 






.2 


CO 






03 




« 

^ 


03 

a 
o 




OJ 

? 




.Q 


fA 


ft 










1— 1 


a 


fp 


3 

CO 


0.0 


0.0 


436 


238 


.0 


.0 


542 


85 


.0 


.0 


480 


55 


.0 


.0 


281 


80 


.0 


.0 


442 


67 


.0 


.0 


267 


Tr. 


.0 


.0 


130 




.0 


.0 


301 


130 



1905. 
July 26 
..do.... 

..do.... 

July 25 

..do.... 
..do.... 

..do..., 

1907. 
Aug. 27 



Burlington, well at courthouse 

Burlington, well in northeastern part of 

city. 
Burlington, Kingsbury, well in southern 

limits of city. 
Burlington, shallow well 11 miles south 

and 2i miles east of bridge. 

Leroy, public well 

Leroy, well 4^ miles north and 1 mile west 

of city. 
Leroy, drilled well 2 miles east of city 

Waverly, wella 



Edward Bartow. 
....do 



.do. 



25 



.do. 
.do. 



.do.... 



238 

71 

149 

46 
26 

24 



a Blasted out of limestone rock. Public supply. 



COMANCHE COUNTY. 

The geologic conditions in Comanche County are similar to those 
in Clark County to the west. 

Analyses 1 and 2, Table 17, represent tests of waters from the Per- 
mian, and analysis 3 is a test of one from the Tertiary deposits. Of 
these three the last shows a somewhat softer water than the other 
two, which denote waters of high permanent and temporary hard- 
ness. The assays show the quality of the waters of several shallow 
wells that are located in the valley of Cavalry Creek between Protec- 
tion and Coldwater. These waters are all soft, except that of which 
assay 2 is a test. 



COWLlt C0tJ:efTY. 



11 



Table 17. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Comanche County. 

[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 


1 

ft 
O 


Analyst. 


o 

29 
20 


&• 
S 

l-H 

2.2 
Tr. 


'5' 

§ 

o 



90 

55 

86 


i 
1 
1 

24 

20 
7.6 


ll 

II 


cc 

38 

68 
16 





■2 



129 

175 
127 





a 

a 


.a 

pq 


d 

ft 
■3 
M 

147 

45 
39 




!U 
C 



27 

18 
21 


6 

a 

03 

_2 

ta 

> 


1 


1901. 
May 24 

1902. 
Oct. 21 
Oct. 14 


ANALYSES. 

Protection, well 


Atchison, Topeka & 
Santa Fe Ry. 

do 


39 


?. 


Protection, surface well 
WiLmore, surface well 






S 




. .do 















No. 


, Date. 




1908. 


1 


Jan. 3 


2 


...do.... 


3 


...do.... 


4 


...do.... 


5 


...do 


6 


...do.. 


7 


...do.... 


8 


...do.... 



Source. 









^ 



















^ 














m 


•-:;^ 


^ 







^ 















a> 












<D 


03 





05 


^ 




a 



f, 


03 


ft 


a 


.0 


u 


ft 






03 






w 


1— 1 


Q 


M 


oa 


22 


0.0 


0.0 


237 


Tr. 


22 


.0 


.0 


134 


530 


42 


.0 


.0 


226 


45 




Tr. 


.0 


267 


Tr. 


64 


.0 


.0 


262 


Tr. 


S.-) 


.0 


.0 


158 


Tr. 


65 


Tr. 


.0 


178 


Tr. 


78 


.0 


.0 


133 


Tr. 



ASSAYS. 

Protection, well of J. A. Wuehter 

Protection, well of P. P. Wuehter 

Protection, well of B. U. Towner's livery barn 

NW. i sec. 24, T. 32 S., R. 19 W., well at houseof Over- 
str66t; RBjIIcIi 

NE. i sec. 1, T. 33 S., R. 19 W., well of Mr. Fish 

Cold water, well of JefE. Price, block 32, lot 1 

Coldwater, public wella 

Cold water, well at rear of courthouse 



o Iron, possibly froni galvanized iron extension at bottom of well. 
COWLEY COUNTY. 

Most of Cowley County is underlain by Permian rocks, but the 
valley of Grouse Creek and the eastern part of the county is under- 
lain by the Pennsylvanian series. Both rock series yield hard waters. 

Analysis 1, Table 18, shows a water high in calcium, sodium, sul- 
phates, and chlorides. Analyses 2 and 3 show waters of very high 
permanent and considerable temporary hardness. Analysis 4 is a 
test of a water very high in calcium, sodium, sulphates, and chlorides. 
The permanent hardness disclosed by analysis 5 is less than that of 
the other well waters, but the temporary hardness of the water is 
very high. Of the assays recorded in Table 18, No. 5 is the only oixe 
which does not indicate very great permanent hardness. 



72 



QUALITY OF THE ^yATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



O 



o 



Total 
dis- 
solved 
solids. 




o- 


k 


-1-c- 
















Vola- 
tile 
and or- 
ganic. 
























6 a ^ 




1^ 

So 










0(M 
















-..:: lO 03 O IM (M t- Cl 00 CO K l>) 


cs'So 

.ago 










00 'O CO.-ICOCO co^ 

r-o cC'a<t^,-< ^ <» 

CO t^ W CM (M CO CO CO 


^lo 


oo oooo oo 

. O t- (M iQ O ■ . . ■ . 

' ^ CO t-c^ 


Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na-l-K). 


T— ( l-H (M 














6 ■ 


C^ ?] t2 00 oi c? 














^11 


o t-. --h t^ oo 00 

1-1 rH 00 i-HrH 














Ife 


03 


rt< lOiO OOiOO OO 
CCCO «^ .... . . 


=3 

■Mo 








^-. 










C3 

o ,, 

< 


Ph.2 OQ 3 

■ego pq 
















If 








^ 














O 


o 

3 
o 


"3 

K CO 


i 1 
1 .1 

o o 

|o| 

< <• 


% 

.> 

O 
1 
o 

< 


■a 


ll ^ 1 1 ^i 1 1 

"-■ !P .a — V, s M 
^°cS "^ >:.t^-t^d!^.>, ^tcs. 

^ <: <i <; <j ^ ^ 


03 


O Ol 
.CO 
C-1 . CO 

SI ss 










c 


d „■ d 

• (73 » 




6 


- 


O, 


c 


-^ 


lO 


■-= 


- 


c 


CO 


^ 


■" 


O 





QUALITY OF THE WATEK SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 73 

CRAWFORD COUNTY. 

Crawford County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, which may 
be expected to yield hard waters, but in the southeastern part of the 
county are deep wells that derive their waters from the Ozark dome. 

Analyses 2, 4, 6, and 7, Table 19, together with assays 2, 3, 4, 5, 
7, 10, 14, and 15 of the same table are tests of waters that come from 
wells about 900 feet deep arid are believed to be derived from the 
Ozark dome. These waters differ considerably in character, but most 
of them are sulphureted and all have marked permanent hardness. 
The greater part of these deep-seated waters have considerable tem- 
porary hardness and some of them are rather high in chlorides. 
Analysis 6 and assay 13 are tests of water from a well 1,500 feet deep, 
which is believed by the owners to be derived from the St. Peter 
sandstone. Analysis 5 is a test of a spring water which is shown to 
be uncommonly soft for a ground water from the State of Kansas. 
Analysis 1 and also assays 1, 6, 8, 9, 11, and 12 are tests of shallow- 
well waters. These waters are very hard and some of them are high 
in chlorides. 



1i 



QUALITY OF THE WATER StJl»PLIES OE iSAifgA^. 



"34 










1 




OC 
















































































OS 
















































^g 
















































^ <i> o.S 










(M 




o^ 


































o — -o S 
















































C3 
















































, 






























10 


O ® '-A 
































3.9q 




t-- 


-t 






00 




Tf 


Oi r-( CD 






00 -TfH 


CO 


00 


CO c^ 






o coo 




o 


•O 


CD 


CO 00 00 


c< 




^ c 








o*-^ 




c^ 




(M 




'^ 






cs 






^" 


^ 


CO 


Tf 


QJ^ 




CO 




cncc 


-* 


C-: 


CO 


rq 


r~ooo 










-* 


J3 


■^ 00 






■^ 


^ 


OSr- 








oc 


coco CD 








0. 


n 




lO CO 


02'^ CO 




















§ 






a 




•^ 




































ftCI- 




















^ 






^ 








1 ffi-^ 

2 =Jo 




















i> 


•* Tltl,-H 


-* 




CI T^ 




-^ 


CO 00 






















OCOb- 


CO 




01 W 




05 


s 






















co^co 


^ 




CO Tf 




TtH 


CO i-l 


HjW 




































(B ■ 
















c 


ooc= 


c 




oc 


c 








O go 




oo 


oc 


^cq 


cc 


b- 


cq 




















Tj 


cr 


Oi cc 




00 


CO 
























CO ir: 
























p^ 
































































Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na+K) 






So 


'^ 


ir 




































i 


^ 


» Sg 






§ 


































o3- 
'5) 


? 




<N 
































"w • 










t^ 
















































































a; 




Oi -^ 




OC 
































^•2;^ 






cc 


(M C-) 




u: 


(N 






























;^K,e. 












































-iSc? 




a- 


CJ 


(M CC 


c 


(N 


o 




































CO^ 


<N 




lO 






























5fe 
























































































d-— N 










00 


-H 


c 


^■oc 


a 




6° ^ 6 


oj "^ 


o a> 




c 




O 


C^l 




'"' 




§^'~ 


£ 










8 '^ 


' 


















E^ 


^ 




^ 




H 


&^ 


03 'i 




<M 


o- 


(M 






l:~ 






























:|o 




(M 


oc 


00 


S 


^ 






























mS 












































^^ 
















































i 


f£ 




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^ 


=« 


6 

o 


































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§ 


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C 


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fcj 

n 




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a 
<1 




c 


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III 




O .2 


m 1 


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owe 






>-IC 


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o- 






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1 
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p 

> 


ID 


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c 

12 

c 
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p 

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■a 
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P 
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C3 ■— • ^ 
.S 03 (S 


£ 

~ 3 
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03 g g 
bog a . 








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■S C3 H) <u 


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a " ca o 



CBAWFOED COUNTt. 



Y5 



76 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

DECATUR COUNTY. 1 

Decatur County is an undulating region of high plains cut to a 
depth of 200 to 300 feet by the valleys of Beaver, Sappa, and Prairie 
Dog creeks. The entire area appears to be mantled by the Tertiary 
"mortar beds" and other deposits, although possibly these have been 
cut through in the deeper portions of some of the valleys. 

The county is underlain by Pierre shale, which is thin to the east 
but thickens rapidly to the west. The underlying Niobrara chalk 
and the Benton group have a thickness of about 900 feet, and dip 
gently to the west. These ^statements indicate that the Dakota 
sandstone probably lies at a depth of about 1,000 feet in the eastern 
portion of the county and considerably deeper on the higher lands in 
the west. Three deep wells have been bored in the county, at Jen- 
nings, Kanona, and Oberlin, which throw considerable light on the 
underground geology. 

The boring at Jennings was sunk to a depth of 1,050 feet, and a 
large volume of water, rising to within about 400 feet of the surface, 
was found in the lower sandstone, which is probably the Dakota. At 
Kanona, in 1903, a deep boring had progressed to the depth of 1,620 
feet. A sand (Dakota) was encountered at from 1,450 to 1,550" feet, 
which yielded water in considerable amount that rose to within about 
450 feet of the surface. These borings prove that the Dakota sand- 
stone extends westward in Kansas and contains a water supply, but, 
unfortunately, the head is too low to afford prospects for flowing 
wells, even on the lowest lands. 

At Oberlin a well said to have a depth of about 1,000 feet, through 
chalk and shale to a bed of sandstone, yields a small flow of water 
(and gas). It is believed that this well is not deep enough to pene- 
trate the Dakota sandstone and that it obtains its supply from the 
saliferous shales at the base of the Benton, a water horizon not 
reported in the boring at Kanona. 

Analysis 1, Table 20, shows a soft water; analysis 2 one of high 
temporary hardness, and analysis 3 one of high permanent and tem- 
porary hardness. Assay 1 shows a water of high temporary and 
permanent hardness. Assays 2 and 3 indicate soft waters and assays 
4 and 5 waters of high temporary hardness. Assay 6 is a test of the 
water of a flowing salt well. The chlorides are very high, the bicar- 
bonates moderate in amount, and there are no sulphates, which is 
unusual in the deep-seated saline waters of Kansas. 

I Description abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, pp. 293-294. 



DICKINSON COUNTY. 

Table 20. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Decatur County. 

[Parts per million,] 



77 



















, 




^ 






■73 


















tS 




n 






V 




















^ 


o 






> 
















'P, 


ftM 


n 


W 


-^ 




— ' 








^ 










T1 + 


o 




o 


^-^ 


M m 


No. 


Date. 


Source. 


0) 

1 

p 


Analyst. 


a 
o 


3 

•3 
"3 
o 


a 
1 


si 
.2 3 

o 


1 
o 

O 


d 

O 

s 


0) 

.d 
_ft 
"3 

CO 


s 

o 

3 
o 


m2 

"3 
o 






ANALYSES. 


























1908. 


























1 


Sept. 
1909. 


Jennings, well 


36 


Chicago, Rock Island & Pa- 
cific Ry. 


ol8 


•72 


18 


8.5 


142 




23 


10 


291 


2 




Norcatur, well 


245 


Chicago, Burlington & 
Quincy R. R. 


a82 


82 


25 


22 


196 




8.3 


14 




3 




Oberlin, well 


16 


....do .. 


ail 


140 


39 


86 


337 




78 


38 











No. 


Date. 


Source. 


Depth 

(feet). 


Iron 

(Fe). 


Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 


Sul- 
phate 
(SOO. 


Chlo- 
rine 

(CI). 


1 

2 
3 

4 
5 


1907. 
Oct. 2 

Sept. 30 
...do 

Oct. 1 
...do 

...do 


ASSAYS. 

Cedar Bluffs, well at Chicago, Bur- 
lington & Quincy R. R. station. 

Jennings, well of B. W. Simpson 6 

Kanona, well of H. A. Hansen, sec. 
17, T.3S., R.27 W. 

Oberlin, city waterworks well 

Oberlin, well of Chicago, Burlington & 
Quincy R. R. 


38 
40 

38 

<21,000 


0.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 
1.0 

.0 


0.0 

.0 
.0 

.0 
.0 

.0 


377 

290 
236 

317 
394 

249 


53 

Trace. 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 

.0 


36 

26 
15 

20 
26 

5,454 









a Si02+Fe203-I-Al203. 
b Sunk in 1902. 



c Natural gas bubbles up through the water. 
d About. 



DICKINSON COUNTY. 

Dickinson County is almost wholly underlain by Permian rocks, 
although in the northwest and southwest are patches of Dakota 
sandstone. 

The city of Abilene gets its water from the Dakota sandstone and 
the supply is very satisfactory, as analyses 1 and 2 and assay 1 (Table 
21) show. All of the other analyses recorded in this table show very 
hard waters. The permanent hardness is due to the large amount of 
calcium sulphate or gypsum that is dissolved by the waters from the 
Permian rocks. Erasmus Haworth (by letter) says that in some 
places in southern Dickinson County the gypsum is exposed imme- 
diately at the surface with hardly enough soil covering to hold rain 
water an hour after the rain. 

In Table 21, analyses 5 and 12 show waters remarkably high 
in sulphates. All of the assays except No. 1 indicate highly mineral- 
ized waters high in sulphates. 



78 



QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



^ 






Total 
dis- 
solved 
solids. 




00 f^ 


! 





'^ CO 


1 


CO 

-•* 






i 










is. Si 








(N 










6 aci 


(N OCO (N-^ troO'-HOlCTlCOCO'O '^»0 


Nitrate 
(NO3). 














CO ;c 10 CO 










Sul- 
phate 
(SOO. 


CO -* CO COCO COOS'^»OC000»O'^ 5^oco 

. 1^ C3 
1— 1 1— 1 (>^ 


1 0-^ 

.2 CO . 














»0 10 t^ (M 

^ 01 c^i 
^ rr 10 10 •* CO 


CD t^ CO »0 
10 ^ I^ t^ 
^ ^ (M -* 


ll. •73 " 


0000 

(M t-^ (M^ OiOO'oOOO 
CV) 00 ■-" '^ "* l>- CO 
.-H ^ C^ CO ^ ^ 


Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na-fK). 


(M 100 CDO CMGOOCqOCMOSi— 1 
(M CSyP C5CO rHCOCOiOCOTt*<lO»-i 








Magne- 
sium 
(Mg). 


05 ^ 

06 Tj^T-H 0000 0^(NOOiOt^W(N 

.-( 00-^ Tt^csiioasOt^^T-i 








o.3o 


OS --(t-. t-CO -^OCOCOiOi-HtNCD 
CD -^00 -rp ZO t^iMOOOOt^'-tOSO 








Mb 


TJH T-H 


'S" 10 CM ,5 

06 O00CnOOOI>)rH '^' 




■^ OOCO CD ^ 


CO TP 10 -a" ^ 10 —1 

tH rt Tl ,-H ,-H ,-H IM 








a 

< 


1 P^ 
a Ph ' 


^^5 III 

<1 M f^ 


c 


c 


c 






t3 

1 
Pm 
3 


a 






- 


5-^ 






^ 




OJ "^ »0 CO « -^ 




10 ira 

CD Tl< 


3 






. -2 

i ^ 

R-O c 

<5 


"a 

s 

c 
c 


S" c>> 3 .dJia"f^c-§a£fa~3fl"S^ 

ft • hjo ^ M c be 0) M'-' bjO_- b£ cu aj) 0) M 0) S 

fev, «s= g-E a K C ,; 3=5 3 M c w 3 M E 

"^ -SS-ES -C ft-C C-E S-E g-C C-E C-E3 5 

wW wpdwataMWoQ 


Tog ol g 

fatHM 

.2 b ftcd ft g . fe 
<( a W 




2 "= : s 

CO S I f!^ 


. °> : S S : : 
1^ . ■ • • 

So. t* .2 M M ° 


<N r-l ) (N 
£f ^ ^ g 


6 

13 




CS 


C' 


■* 


ir- 


?c 


t^ 00 


O! 





T- 


c^ 


CO 


'-' 


(M 


CO 


■* 



DICKlNSOJSr COUNTY. 



79 































oi "^ Oi a ^i OS 
lo .-H (31 .-He-) r- 






















O 00 00 


CO t-f (M CO 00 ^^ 
CO CO m ^ Ti< CO 


o o o O o o 














-- 




























lO o o o 
Tt< 00 --< 














— 














Tl< o o c^ 

O CO O u^ 


to 

CO 


Herington, Prospect well 

No. 3 (east wein.e 
Herington, West Prospect 

well./ 
Herington, Herington Ice & 

Cold Storage Co.'s two 

wells. ff 
Herington, Thompson's well 

on D Street. 
Herington, spring at edge 

of Lime Creek near city 

waterworks. 
Solomon, well of G. L. Cry- 

derman. 


Aug. 12 
. . .do. . . . 
Aug. 13 

...do.... 
...do.... 

Sept. 1 


Ui 


<g 


«- 


oc 


^ 


c 


1 






(S 5> 
So 



fe& 



M -: 



15 ;i« 



flea 

C3 03 53 



O-S 

!^ 

„ O M . 

p,.jO fl "^ fcH L, t., 

Ph ^ .S be O) oj oi 
I ra t- a t- t. t^ 

"T OTI! OJ M to£ bjD 
-^•^ u. fc- -* '^ -^ 

9^ o oOOO 

03 S f!H P^ CO 02 CQ 



80 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



DONIPHAN COUNTY. 

Doniphan County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks which may 
be expected to yield hard waters. The glacial deposits that cover 
much of the county possibly afford a somewhat softer water. 

Both the analysis and assays in Table 22 represent tests of the 
waters of wells sunk in the drift, and these waters have rather high 
temporary hardness but almost no permanent hardness. 

Table 22. — Analysis and assays of underground tvater from Doniphan County. 

[Parts per million. 1 



















^ 




o 
























aw 


n 


CJ 


^ 






No. 


Date. 


Source. 


1 


Analyst. 


ffl" 


o 


s 


■2t 


C3 


03 


O 




s 








p. 




c 

o 


'3 

■3 


a 

cs 


s s 






ft 


o 


3 

o 








W 




t— ( 


o 


fel 


CZ2 


o 


W 


CO 


tJ 


H 






ANALYSIS. 


























1908. 


























1 


Sept. 


Bendena, dug well of 


75 


Chicago. Rock Island 


a 9.9 


54 


21 


fi 


115 




28i0.9 


244 






Chicago, Rock Island 




& Pacific Ry. 
























& Pacific Ry. 




























ASSAYS. 


























1907. 


























1 


July 17 


Troy, well of Wm. 
Stuart. 6 


70 




.0 




... 




.0 


334 


.0 


40 




?. 


...do 


Troy, well at Hotel 70 




Tr. 








.0 


432 


.0 


45 






Avon. 















a Si02+Fe203+Al203. 



Sunk in 1901. 



DOUGLAS COUNTY. 

As Douglas County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, hard 
waters may be expected except possibly from wells in glacial deposits. 

All of the analyses recorded in Table 23 are tests of the waters of 
wells in Lawrence at the edge of Kansas River. The water from the 
wells of the Lawrence Water Co. has high temporary and con- 
siderable permanent hardness. Moreover, the water carries much 
iron in solution that has to be removed by aeration and the addi- 
tion of chemicals before the water can be delivered to the public. 
The water of the wells of the Lawrence Paper Manufacturing Co. 
has greater permanent hardness than that of the water company. 
Analysis 5 shows the character of water from an old test hole.^ 

Assay No. 1 shows a soft water. The other assays indicate waters 
of marked permanent and temporary hardness. 

1 Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 7, p. 151. 



DOUGLAS COUNTY. 



81 



— .• 




g 








SB 












-2 '5 




>— ' 






■^ 












or; 




I-H 






^ 












^ S 






















TS 
























o 2 o S 








s 
















>|°a 
















































, 


I^ TP 


oo 


COS 


c: 


o c 


a-. 


o <u^- 


:o O 


00 


;o^ 


CN 






ll£ 




(N 


f 








<D 






















o 














■■^ 


o 














CD • 


OS o 


^ 


CM 




^ XT 


i-O 




(M IM 


cs 




lO t^ 




3jO 


Ol 


CO 




'—' 


•"t 








E^ 




















i-2 " 










o 


ir- 


oi> 


00 


.2 ao 










o 




CO ^ 
■V CN 


"^ 1 


pq^M 
































, -2^ 






o 


c 


OC 


o 


J- g3 ~ 


t^ C^ 


o 










O oo 


<M (N 












^._- 












1 


Sodi- 
nm and 
potas- 
sium 
(Na-I- 
K). 


t^ CO 


^ 


r^ cz 












lO CO 


t^ 


COr- 
















-^ 












i> _< • 


^ o 


Oi 


oc 












Pt 


CM CO 




^^. 












S"- 


















|-,^ 


CO o^ 


o 


OCT 












"3 § ts 


rH CO 


t~ 


^o- 












i-H <N 


CO 


i-i D- 
































C~ 










CO oa 


c^ 


C^l 


E^ 


oc 


o ■ 






^ 








g'3 


CO t^ 


^ 


cou- 












CO (M 


C-l 


cooc 












-2 




































mS 






































=3 "3 








s 














■a 2 








|X 












^ 


l^^o 






h 














g-2 i 






ll 

IS PC 


d 
o 

1 


o 


■a 








5CC "KO 






rH 










<: p 


fap:^ 




f=i 




















^ 




o 






^ 
















'^ 


CI 






•^ 














■^ 




.;. 
























OC' 






























O 




















-c 










o 


° ii 






I 




BE 






is 


3 




s 






a3 
o 


w — 


-.a 


OdH 


"oi 


m "3 








fe.£ 


w o 
^ 1 


-1^ a 

cj o 

. 11 


^1 




« oTl^ 


»;§ 


a oj CL 


K- 


1" II 

^ c3 ca 


oToi 






S5 


■" £ ft 


1 


2 i^l-w 
S o « 




s s^ 


S'J 


s s s 


"a 


s-^S 




ij h^i 


J 


h^lhJ 


« 


hJnq 


F^I 




lO 




"^ 


o 




CO 


O 










CO 








!^ 


ci 










»o 










= V 






O CD o 


C jj,. 


C3 


c; ^ 






S 


S^ 


C33 C^ 


o 


ri< o 






OJ 






•^ 




'^' 


c 


1^ 


'^ 


<; 


d 


•-< Oi 


CO 


-<J* If 


rt 


CM CO 


'i' 


12; 
























1 






|::;'co o CO 

b/: ? CD c "3 

.a-3'g-2.2 

CiD O P O 
•-*<„ B<o O 
•>. o ^ w <« 

Id T* ^ r— ^ 



■^ o t- " > S 

1^1 2^1 



77836°— wsp 273—11- 



82 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



- 1 



EDWARDS COUNTY. 

Edwards County lies in Arkansas Valley and is mainly underlain 
by Dakota sandstone. On the bottom lands the sandstone is largely 
covered by alluvium ; the highlands are mantled by Tertiary deposits. 
In the extreme northern portion of the county Benton shale outcrops 
in a small area. The principal water supplies are derived from the 
lower portion of the alluvial and the Tertiary deposits, though some of 
the wells penetrate the Dakota sandstone and obtain good waters at 
moderate depths. So far as known no attempts have been made to 
sink deeper wells, and as the ''Red Beds" lie at no great distance 
below the surface, are of great thickness, and yield only saline waters, 
there is no encouragement for deep boring in this county. 

Analysis 1, Table 24, is a test of a soft calcic alkaline water from 
the Tertiary deposits. The other analyses were made in the course 
of an investigation of the quality of ground water in the vicinity of 
Kinsley. They demonstrate that most of the waters in the locaUty 
are unsatisfactory for use in boilers. Analyses 8, 10, and 13 show 
good soft alkaline waters, and analysis. 12 indicates a hard calcic 
alkaline saline water. Analyses 3, 4, 5, and 6 are tests of sodic saline 
waters. Analysis 7 shows a calcic magnesic saline water. Analyses 
11 and 14 to 22 demonstrate calcic sodic saline waters. Analyses 2 
and 9 show highly mineralized sodic calcic magnesic saline waters. 
Calcic sodic saline waters are cha,racteristic of the underflow of 
Arkansas River. As these waters of the underflow are high in 
sodium, magnesium, and sulphates, they are laxative in their effect 
on those unaccustomed to their use, but within t^he river valley they 
are used for public water supplies and apparently have no therapeutic 
effect on the citizens. 

1 Description abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 295. 



EDWARDS COUNTY. 



83 



OS — S 
^ o o 






O Tt< CO 



COCMCOOO COOOiC^ 
T— I rH CO CD "* CO CO CO 
O IM O O OrHr-COO 



C^ rH IlO 1-lT 



1-1 OlO t^rH 



1-1 t-CNCOi— I COOtH 1-1 



COOOOOCq i-iOOi-HCrs 
Tp Tt< CD -^ iO "^ lO ■^ 






OOi-l'XXM i-IM 



00 o (M a> 



O rH »o t^ O iO »0 (M 

■^o o CO T-H t^ as T-4 o 

■^ CO »0 »0 wo ■**< UD CO 



.2 «5^ 






CO i-HOOi 



00 ^ CI 0.-I 



5 »0 00 C5 CO -^ CO O 



O 00 t^ t^ 00 00 O CO CO 00 lO ^H ,— ( 00 



.2 ^.2 4- 



CD ^ Ol lO 



lO Oi O C 



O i-(ir3CO<N 1— (OC^iO 



al: 



00 1— I lO O -!P <N i-H (N lO 

(M . fOi-ICOCO COCOCO(N 



Oi Oi C^ 00 I— I 

O lO CD iCi CD 



O .-< i-< iM lO OOOOOOOS 

CO i-or^co'* '^coioo 



So 



r-i '^ rH C^ CD 



00 CO 

lO r- CD !M c6iO(N(M 



i«" 



a> o 



^^ ::2 <D 



PI ® ^' rt 






.s.g.s.a 



^-1^ . o >> 
- ., - <i^ - ^ 

.a.g.gs?i.s 



.c ft 

(NCO 



.g p..g5.g.g 

M M MM 



Sill 

m ^ ^ ^ 

CU +J4J +J 
■3 53 CS cS 



MMMM 



CD a> 
^«£ 

s — r c3 03 

> V ai 
®^ ^ ^ 

(U - - . ^ 

2 !>■-!>. >i>i 

CS O Qj QJ CP 

3 c n o g 
MMMM 



^M§ 

CO 's d 



■^.gs-^ 
.g^s.g 

M M 



s ^° ° § 1 1 ^^ 



i-lOOCO OCOOCO 
,COCO<Ni-l Wi-tNi-i 






tH (NO<3-^>0 



•* >OCOI>00 roO^IM i-H 

r-l T-lT-lrtT-l >-liM<N(M 



84 QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

ELK COUNTY. 

Elk County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, therefore hard 
waters may be expected. No water assays were made of the ground 
waters in this county, nor are there any analyses of these waters 
available for publication. 

ELLIS COUNTY. 

Ellis County is underlain mainly by the Benton rocks, but the high 
divides to the west are capped by the rocks .of the Niobrara forma- 
tion and some Tertiary deposits. The Dakota sandstone lies at a mod- 
erate depth, averaging from 300 to 400 feet through the greater part 
of the county, but increasing to over 500 feet in the highest lands to 
the west and diminishing to less than 200 feet in the deeper valleys 
to the east and south. The rocks dip gently to the north. A num- 
ber of wells have been sunk to the Dakota sandstone, but no reports 
have yet been obtained as to their results. 

In 1903 a boring was sunk on Smoky Hill River, 15 miles due 
southwest of Hays, on the S. ^ sec. 10, T. 15 S., R. 20 W., a depth 
of 1,777 feet being reached. The drill passed through the Benton 
shales and Dakota sandstone into the ^'Red Beds," which were 
reached at a depth of 628 feet. Considerable water, which rose 
within 70 feet of the surface, was found at the top of a thick bed of 
sandstone, presumably Dakota, at a depth of 215 feet. Near the 
bottom of this sandstone, at a depth of 500 feet, there was a strong 
artesian flow of fresh water, which is still flowing vigorously and 
under sufficient pressure to rise 15 inches above the top of the casing. 
Artesian salt water was found a short distance below, and at intervals 
to a depth of 993 feet.^ 

Assay 3, Table 25, shows the quality of water from the gypsiferous 
shales of the Dakota and assay 8 that of a water from the gypsiferous 
and saliferous shales of the Dakota. Both waters are very hard and 
that from the saliferous shales has a salty taste. Assays 2 and 7 
indicate waters having high temporary and permanent hardness. 
The other assays recorded in the table represent tests of well waters 
in the valley of Big Creek and show that these have high temporary 
and little permanent hardness. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 295. 



ELLSWORTH COUNTY, 



85 



Table 25. — Assays of underground waters from Ellis County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 




Source. 









^ 










o 








,--N 


o 








o 


Pd 


^ 


• 




o 


— 


O 






'—^ 


_2 


CQ 


^ 






o3 






■^ 




■ rt 




ft 


o 


o 


o 
o 


■y 
^ 


ft 


'-' 


o 


pq 


cc 


37 


Tr. 


0.0 


262 


Tr. 


30 


0.0 


.0 


367 


406 


523 


.0 


.0 


300 


460 


30 


.0 


.0 


344 


'l"r. 


35 


.0 


.0 


312 


Tr. 


(35(?) 
160(?) 


}- 


.0 


317 


(<=) 


32 


.0 


.0 


369 


65 


245 


.0 


.0 


377 


287 



Ellis, well of R. R. Davidson, Washington Street « 

Ellis, well at rear of drug store on north side of Main 

Street 

Ellis, well of J. P. Riedel, 9 miles northeast of city, on 

sec. 21, T. 12 S., R. 19 W.b 

Hays, well of Windsor Hotel, Chestnut Street. 

Hays, points of city waterworks, tap in Hotel Brunswick 

Hays, Ryan well 

Hays, well at Agricultural Experiment Station 

Hays, well of Kaspar Leiker, 7 miles southeast of city, 
on N W. J sec. 27, T. 14 S., R. 18 W.d 



39 

15 
24 

566 

30 



o On north of Big Creek, where water is locally believed to be better than on south side. 

6 Sunk in 1902. Water rose to 512 feet. Well cased full depth and derives water from Dakota sandstone. 

c SO4 greater than 626. 

d A few miles east of this well Mr. Stoner, Kaspar Klaus, and others have wells of about the same depth. 

ELLSWORTH COUNTY. 

The Dakota sandstone is at or near the surface throughout Ellsworth 
County, except in the deeper portion of Smoky Hill Valley to the 
southeast, where the underlying Permian rocks are cut into. The 
sandstone affords a water supply, in most places of satisfactory quahty, 
for many wells of various depths. On some of the lower lands between 
Ellsworth and Black Wolf the water flows in small volume in wells 
which reach the lower sandstone of the Dakota formation. 

At Palacky, where the Benton shale is the surface formation, a well 
336 feet deep obtains a large supply of slightly salty water, which 
rises to within 176 feet of the surface. In the northeastern corner" 
of T. 14, R. 9, which is also on the Benton shale, a well 384 feet deep 
obtains a small supply of fine water, which does not rise materially 
in the well, at a depth of 170 feet. As a number of borings in this 
county have penetrated deeply into the Permian rocks underlying 
the Dakota sandstone and found only salt water, it is probable that 
fresh artesian waters are not obtainable.^ 

In Table 26 calcic alkaline waters are shown by analyses 1, 2, and 
9, and a sodic calcic alkaline water is indicated by analysis 5. A 
calcic saline water is denoted by analysis 6 and a calcic sodic saline 
water by analysis 8. Sodic calcic saline waters are demonstrated by 
analyses 3, 7, and 10. Assay 1 indicates that the old public water 
supply of Ellsworth, which is derived from several underground 
sources, has high temporary hardness and is low in sulphates. Assay 
2 shows a very hard water. Assay 3, one of high temporary and low 
permanent hardness, and assay 4 indicates a water that is highly min- 
eralized and rich in chlorides. 



Description abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Gaol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 296. 



86 



QUALITY 01? THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 





q 
















(N O 












"3 1 "^ "> 


















05 00 














« 














O CO 












l^ll 


































































































, 


■o t^ 


-J5 O O CC 


00 lO ^ 




TP -^ -^ I-t 


o <v ^ 






o o t^ -v 


o- 


c 


c 


c'^ 




3.SS 






CO CI IM 


o .- 






rH M1^ 


O '--' 




















'^ 






















r- 














'^ 


































. aj>< 




u~ 


CO Tf( oco 






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QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 87 

FINNEY COUNTY. 

Finney County comprises a region of high plains in its northern 
part, a portion of Arkansas Valley across its center, and an extensive 
district of plains and sand hills in the south. The only running 
water is Arkansas River and some small streams in the headwaters 
of Pawnee Creek. Springs are very rare. Shallow wells obtain 
variable supplies from Tertiary deposits, valley alluvium, and dune 
sands. Some deeper wells reach Dakota sandstone, which underlies 
the county at a depth of 200 feet in the southern portion, 400 feet at 
Garden, and 1,000 feet or more in the northern and northwestern 
portions. In the northeast corner the Dakota sandstone has been 
reached by several wells about 400 feet deep and a large supply of 
water found. The quality, however, has been somewhat variable 
and at some localities is too salty for use. It rises considerably but 
does not reach the surface. A well at Kalvesta, 355 feet deep, failed 
to reach the top of the Dakota sandstone. In a boring half a mile 
northwest of Garden it is claimed that a depth of -over 1,000 feet 
was reached without obtaining a satisfactory supply. The record 
is somewhat difficult to interpret, but apparently the boring entered 
the Dakota sandstone at a depth of 460 feet and continued in it for 
250 or 300 feet. Two wells, 400 feet or more in depth, are reported 
north of Ravenna, in the northeastern corner of the county. They 
found water in shales, but its quaUty was unsatisfactory.^ 

In the valley of Arkansas River the ''underflow" of the river 
feeds many wells. This underflow is believed to have its source in 
the rain that falls on the sand dunes south of the river and that is 
making its way southeastward beneath the river. Water taken at 
the top of this underflow is high in sulphates, whereas water taken 
deeper down in it is usually less heavily loaded with them. 

Analyses 1 to 15, Table 27, are tests of waters about Garden. 
Of these soft calcic alkaline waters from wells south of the river at 
Garden are shown by analyses 7, 8, and 9, and a calcic alkaline 
water of fair quality from an artesian well is indicated by analysis 
13. Soft calcic sodic alkaline waters from weUs in the sand hills 
south of the river are shown by analyses 10 and 11, and calcic sodic 
alkaline waters from artesian wells are shown to be somewhat high 
in sulphates by analyses 12 and 15. A laxative sodic calcic mag- 
nesic alkaline water from an artesian well is shown by analysis 14. 
A hard calcic magnesic saline water is indicated by analysis 3, a 
highly minerahzed calcic magnesic sodic saline water by analysis 2, 
and an unsatisfactory calcic sodic magnesic saline water by analy- 
sis 1. A highly mineralized sodic calcic saline water is shown by 
analyses 5 and 6. A highly mineralized sodic calcic magnesic 

I Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 297. 



88 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

saline water is demonstrated by analysis 4. Analyses 16 to 21 
show the quality of ground waters in the vicinity of Pierceville. Of 
these soft calcic alkaline waters are shown by analyses 17 and 19. 
A soft calcic sodic alkaline water is denoted by analysis 18. Calcic 
sodic magnesic alkaline waters high in sulphates are shown by analy- 
ses 16 and 20. An unsatisfactory calcic sodic magnesic saline 
water is marked by analysis 21. Assay 1 is a test of a well in the 
shallow valley northeast of Garden and shows the water to have a 
very high temporary hardness. The ground near the well had been 
plowed and looked as though it was covered with frost, so abundant 
was the white alkali. The valley is probably an old course of White 
Woman Creek. Assays 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 11 are tests of the waters 
of shallow wells that tap the upper portion of the underflow. These 
waters are high in sulph9,tes. Assays 8, 9, 10, and 12 show the 
quality of the waters of wells that extend down deeper into the 
underflow, thereby getting less highly mineralized waters. 



FINNEY COUNTY. 



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QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. • 91 

FORD COUNTY. 

Dakota sandstone underlies the southeastern half of Ford County, 
and Benton shale the northwestern half. Both formations are exten- 
sively covered by Tertiary deposits on the higher lands and by 
alluvium and dune sands along the Arkansas. Shallow wells obtain 
water supplies from the younger formations, and some wells in the 
eastern part of the county reach the water in the Dakota sandstone. 
No artesian flows are promised in this county, unless possibly from 
the "Red Beds" which underlie the Dakota sandstone, and the 
waters of these rocks are invariably salty. The formations below 
the "Red Beds" might present different conditions, but probably 
lie too deep for ordinary well borings. It is said that in 1886 a boring 
for coal, 1,000 feet deep, was made at Dodge, but that it found 
neither coal nor water, and undoubtedly ended in the "Red Beds." ^ 

In Table 28, analyses 1 and 2 represent tests of a soft calcic alkaline 
water at Bucklin; analyses 3 to 38 record tests of ground water 
around Dodge. The water tested by analyses 7, 9, 10, 18, 19, 
and 26 belong to the calcic alkaline class and are of good quality; 
calcic alkaline waters of fair quality are represented by analyses 15, 
20, 31, and 32, and calcic alkaline waters of poor quality for use in 
boilers are indicated by analyses 9, 24, 25, 28, 30, and 38. Calcic 
sodic alkaline waters of good quality are represented by analyses 12 
and 13; calcic sodic alkaline waters of fair quality are indicated by 
analyses 29 and 37. A calcic sodic alkaline water of poor quahty is 
exhibited by analysis 23. Calcic magnesic alkaline waters of good 
quality are indicated by analyses 33 and 34; waters of the same class 
but of fair quality are represented by analyses 11, 16, and 35. A 
poor water of this same class is shown by analysis 36. A sodic 
calcic alkaline water of poor quality is indicated by analysis 14. 
Calcic saline waters of. poor quality are represented by analyses 5, 6, 
and 17, and a calcic saline water of very bad quality by analysis 4. 
Calcic sodic saline waters of poor quality are indicated by analyses 
21 and 22. Tests of two soft calcic alkaline waters at Spearville 
are recorded in analyses 39 and 40. 

The assays represent tests of two wells of the Midland Water, Light 
& Ice Co. These wells are near together and yield water like in 
composition, which is unusual in wells that tap the Arkansas River 
underflow and differ in depth as greatly as do these two. 

1 Abstract from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 298. 



92 



QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



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94 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



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1 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



95 



FRANKLIN COUNTY. 

Franklin County is entirely underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks 
which may be expected to yield hard waters. 

The only analysis (Table 29) is a test of a water high in calcium, 
magnesium, and sulphates. Assays 1 and 2 show waters of great 
temporary and permanent hardness that are high in chlorides. 
Assays 4 and 5 show water of great temporary and permanent hard- 
ness that are low in chlorides, and assay 3 is a test of a water of great 
permanent hardness, but one that is somewhat lower in bicarbonates 
than the others. 

Table 29. — Analysis and assays of underground waters froTn Franklin County. 

[Parts per million.] 





















k 




























o • 




o 






















M 


^ 


^ 






















^ 


a 


^* 


6 
a 


o 


. 


No. 


Date. 


Source. 


■2 


Analyst. 


g 
S 




6 

. 3 


1 

a 


=i.3 


a 
o 


1 
a 
o 


m 

m 

03 

Si 


a) 








p 




m 


1 






o 

CO 


'S. 
o 


s 


"3 


o 
3 

o 






ANALYSIS. 
























1 




Williamsburg, bored well 




E. H. S. Bailey 


fi7 


11 


Qlfi 


A^h 


l.'sfi 






2,979 


9n9 






ofF. H. Welsh.a 




and D. F. Mc- 
Farland. 
























ASSAYS. 


























1905. 


























1 


June 19 


Ottawa, Shaner House 


■A?. 






Tr 








n 


4^7 


4fin 


3.S1 






well. 
























? 


...do 


Ottawa, Rohbau well, 
one-half block north 


32 






.0 








.0 


434 


191 


?44 




















of courthouse. 
























8 


...do 


Ottawa, Forest Park dug 
well. 








.5 








.0 


283 


300 


40 


















4 


...do 


Ottawa, Forest Park 
bored well. 


26 






.0 








.0 


434 


287 


fiO 
















5 


,.do 


Ottawa, Sylvan Spring 
at edge of Eight Mile 

















n 


SPP 


202 


^fi 
































Creek. 

























a Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 7, p. 191. 



GEARY COUNTY. 

The analyses and assays in the following table represent tests of 
well waters in the fluviatile deposits of Kansas and Republican 
rivers and are not typical for water generally found in Geary County, 
most of which is underlain by Permian rocks. 

Analysis 1, Table 30, indicates a very satisfactory water for domes- 
tic use, for neither the temporary nor permanent hardness is high. 
Analysis No. 2 denotes a water having high permanent and very 
high temporary hardness. The assay shows greater temporary hard- 
ness in the water of Junction than is indicated by the analysis. 



96 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Tablk 30. — Analyses and assay of underground imters from Geary County. 
[Parts per million.] 



i 


























rn 


• 
















03 




o 






2 


















"Sfi 


^ 


^ 


o 






g 


No. 


Date. 


Source. 


"£ 


Analyst. 


O 




O 


g. 


ll 


O 

o 


Si 


d 


o 










.c 




CO 


S 


% 




3.3 


ca 
e 
o 


o 


d 
.« 




S 








p. 





s 


a 
p 


o 

"3 


^ 
1 




3 


03 
S 


"3 




O 


! 


, ANALYSES. 








1908. 




























1 Mar. 5 


Junction, well at city 


60; Union Pacific 


20 0.8 


77 


15 


24 


141 




33 


2».336 




waterworks. 




R. R. 
























1905. 




























2 


Aug. 30 
1907. 


Junction, well of the 
Electric Railway, 
Light & Ice Co. 

ASSAY. 


40 


Kennicott Water 
Softener Co. 


23 


1.4 


156 


23 


75 


189 




82 


172 




1 


Feb. 26 


Junction, city sup- 
ply, 13 wells. 


59-62 

1 


... 


.0 








.0 


324 


Tr. 


20 





GOVE COUNTY. 

Gove County extends from Smoky Hill Valley north to the south side 
of Saline Valley, and comprises a region of high plains intersected by 
several branches of Smoky Hill River and the he^d of Big Creek. The 
highlands are covered by Tertiary dep'osits, but the valleys have been 
cut through this mantle and widely expose the underlying Niobrara 
chalk. The depth to Dakota sandstone ranges from about 600 feet 
in the southeast corner of the county to slightly over 1,100 feet in the 
northwest corner, as nearly as can be calculated on the assumption 
of a thickness of 400 feet of Niobrara formation and 450 feet of Ben- 
ton formation. A few wells have been sunk in the county which 
attempted to penetrate the shale, but they were not successful. One 
well in the southwest corner, 3 miles south of Smoky Hill River, 
reached a depth of 400 feet, 48 feet of which were reported as surface 
material, and the remainder of chalk, of which the lower 52 feet were 
white. At the depth of 400 feet a supply of fine water, reported to 
amount to 20 barrels per day, was obtained. In the vicinity of 
Catalpa a well of 400 feet had about the same result. Near Good- 
water a well 501 feet deep at a depth of 501 feet obtained a small 
amount of water. These borings, of course, were all too shallow to 
reach the Dakota sandstone. It is probable that in the lower lands 
of this county this sandstone would yield flowing water of moderate 
volume and of satisfactory quality.^ 

Wallace, Logan, Gove, and Trego counties have a much greater variety of condi- 
tions than prevail to the north. Smoky Hill River and its principal tributaries have 
cut their channels through the Tertiary, but only a short distance into the Cretaceous, 



Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 298. 



GRAHAM COUNTY, 



97 



and have accumulated so little sand and silt along their valleys that there is but little 
ground water in the river valleys proper. In this area, perhaps, more than any other 
part of the State we have the apparently anomalous condition of water being hard to 
obtain by digging in the river valleys, yet easily obtained in great abundance on the 
high uplands near by on either side of the river. Though water is not easily obtained 
by boring in the valleys, good springs, drawing from the general underground supply, 
frequently exist where the streams have reached the base of the Tertiary. 

There is, however, along the branches of the Hackberry, in the vicinity of Gove 
City and in Smoky Hill Valley southwest of the area about Oakley, a considerable 
deposit of sand and clay mixed with gravel which is Tertiary in its origin and carries 
an underflow which is a source of supply to shallow wells. At Gove City the average 
depth of wells in the southern part of town is about 40 feet and the water which is 
obtained from them is derived from this underflow. The wells in the northern part 
of the city often strike the Niobrara without finding water. ^ 

-The analysis (Table 31) shows a calcic magnesic saline water of low 
temporary and high permanent hardness. Assay 1, Table 31, indi- 
cates a different water from any of the others assayed in that it has 
considerable permanent hardness. The other assays show that the 
waters are very much alike and are all soft. 

Table 31. — Analysis and assays of underground waters from Gove County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 


•2 


Analyst. 


O 

03 

o 


"a? 
1 


03 

o 

'o 
"3 

Q 

57 
... 


21 


3 3 

16 


6 

O 

la 
g 

a 

o 
22 

.0 
.0 

.0 

.0 
.0 


o 
o 
W 

o 

-e 

03 
O 

S 

262 
257 

227 

222 
236 


d 

a> 

"3 
OQ 

184 

62 
Tr. 

Tr. 

Tr. 
Tr. 


.1 

o 

3 
o 

24 

30 

15 

15 

15 
20 


1 

o 
a 

03 
> 

37 


■T3 

> 

O . 

o 


1 
1 


1908. 
Mar. 16 

1907. 
Sept. 21 

...do.... 

...do.... 
...do.... 


ANALYSIS. 

Grinnell, well 150 feet 
east of station of 
Union Pacific R. R. 
Co. 

ASSAYS. 

Gove, public well 

Gove, well of Benjamin 
Bacon, Main Street. 

Gove, well of J. E. 
Cavender, 3|- miles 
north of city on the 
Grainfield road, sec. 
18, T. 12S.,R.28 W. 

Grainfield, town well o. 

Grainfield, well of L. H. 


130 

44 
40 

90 

135 
130 


Union Pacific 
R. R. Co. 


37 


1.3 

.0 
.0 

.0 

.0 
.0 


364 


? 






3 






4 














Johnson at north 
edge of city on sec. 6, 
T. US., R.28W. 









a Put down in 1903 for a dairy. 
GRAHAM COUNTY. 



The high plains of Graham County are thickly covered by Ter- 
tiary deposits which are cut through in the valleys of South Fork of 
Solomon River, of Bow Creek, and of Saline River, which lies a short 



1 From Report of the Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment to the Legislature of Kansas for 1895 
and 1896, pp. 100, 113. 

77836°— wsp 273—11 7 



98 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



distance south. The Niobrara chalk has a thickness of considerably 
over 100 feet in the highlands and is underlain by about 400 feet of 
Benton shales lying on the Dakota sandstone. This sandstone is not 
more than 500 feet below the surface in the southeast corner of the 
county, but, with the northeasterly dip of the beds and the rise of 
the land to the west, is about 1,000 feet deep in the highest ridges 
between Bow Creek and North Fork of Solomon River. ^ 

No complete mineral analyses have been made of waters in Graham 
County, but seven assays of waters in Hill and one of a well 
water in Morland are presented in Table 32. Assay 1 is a test of a 
shallow well of considerable permanent hardness, and assays 2, 3, 
and 4 are tests of shallow well waters with very little permanent and 
only moderate temporary hardness. Assays 5, 6, and 7 show the 
composition of the waters of some deep wells that probably derive 
their water from the Benton group. All of these deep wells have 
very great temporary and permanent hardness. So they are less 
satisfactory for domestic use and for steam boilers than the waters 
of the shallow wells. Assay 8 shows a shallow well water of con- 
siderable permanent hardness. 

Table 32. — Assays of underground waters from. Graham County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 




1898. 


1 
2 


Sept. 28 


3 


...do 


4 


...do 


6 


...do 


6 


...do 


7 


...do 


8 


...do 



Source. 



Depth 
(feet). 



Iron 

(Fe). 



Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 



Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3), 



Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



Hill, public well on Main Street 

Hill, well of De Shoup Hotel 

HiU, well of Graham Milling Co 

Hill, well of E. V. Cumberford 

Hill, well of RoUow Photographic Gal- 
lery, Pomroy Street 

Hill, well of S. N. Coder, Main Street b. 

Hill, well of E. v. Cumberford c 

Morland, well in livery barn of Charles 
Green 



1300 
314 
395 



0.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 

.0 
.0 
.0 



0.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 

.0 
.0 



272 
283 
295 
277 

462 
382 
385 



47 
Trace. 
...do-. 
...do.. 

246 
313 
813 



a About. 

b Sunk in July, 1907; water rose within 100 feet of surface. 

c Water rose within 100 feet of surface. 



GRANT COUNTY. 

Grant County extends from the valley of the Cimarron up the 
divide between that river and the Arkansas. The surface is covered 
by Tertiary deposits which are known to be underlain at no great 
depth by the Dakota sandstone. In the northeastern part of the 
county the sandstone is overlain by 100 feet or more of Benton 
shales. The State well, 6 miles south by east of Ulysses, at a depth 
of 231 feet reached an excellent water supply that rose to within 
123 feet of the surface.^ 



1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 299. 



GEAY COUNTY. 99 

William Easton Hutchinson has written a letter describing the 
water of the county. It appears from his statement that in the west 
half of the county the depth to water averages about 40 feet, but 
that in the southern part and south of South Fork of Cimarron River 
the depth to water is very much greater. In the eastern half of the 
county, except in the valleys of the streams, the depth ranges frorn 
100 feet in the central part to 200 feet in the extreme eastern part. 
In the immediate valley of South Fork of Cimarron River the ground 
water is near the surface. Regardless of depth, the ground water is 
sufficient and satisfactory for domestic use. 

No analyses or assays of the waters of Grant County are available 
for presentation. 

GRAY COUNTY. 

Gray County is mainly in Arkansas Valley ^ but extends southward 
to the head of Crooked Creek. The entire area is thickly covered 
by Tertiary and younger formations, but is known to be underlain 
by the Dakota sandstone, covered by a greater or less thickness of 
Benton shale, which is exposed southeast of Montezuma. The depth 
to sandstone is not precisely known, but it is not great in any portion 
of the county. Apparently some of the deeper wells in the county 
have reached it, but no satisfactory records have been obtainable. 
No flowing water is to be expected, unless possibly from the under- 
lying Red Beds, the water from which would probably be too salty 
for use. 

The analyses (Table 33) are tests of well waters in the vicinity of 
Cimarron. Analyses 4 and 5 are tests of soft calcic alkaline waters 
from wells in the sand hills. Analyses 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are 
hard calcic alkaline waters," most of which come from deep wells. 
Analyses 1 and 2 are tests of calcic sodic saline waters. Analysis 6 
shows calcic magnesic sodic saline water, and analysis 7 a calcic sodic 
magnesic water, both of which in boiler use would prove very bad. 
Assays 1, 2, and 4 are tests of deep well waters and show low bicar- 
bonates and high sulphates. Assay 3 is a test of a shallow well 
water which is shown to carry somewhat more bicarbonates and 
very much more sulphates than the deep wells. 

1 Called "Cimarron Valley" (a manifest error) in Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 300, 
from which this description is abstracted. 



100 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



O 



Ci 



s 

o 





zo I~ 


as r-H CO to 


































5 w ?-S 


05 r^ ^ CM fM rj< 


CO w ei CO 












^'nt 






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" 














1 t. ■ 


00 CO 'Tt* as 10 






























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> gt£ 






















, 


001^ 


Tf rH 




















3.SG 






'"' 








l-w 
















Tt< 00 t^ t^ 














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CO 






















10 00 


S'So 










































.S Co 






















fq^K 






















1 ■£--< 












0000 


OS fiO 


-* (M CO CO CO 














00 














^^ 














6 ASW 










t^ 












.5^.5 + 


































■^-a j« ^ 






















^gj^ 












































-*ooooi t^ "* 












CO .-H IM 




CO.-H 


i— 












S"^ 






















Cal- 
cium 

(Ca). 




iracocoM IN c 




























""* 
















s-;? 




















10 


►^b 


















6~ 



































f-- 






























a : 


























































a : 




























03 




























IX 


■ 


























-^5 


"S 


; 
• 




























.ii 




























03 


a : 



Eh : 














- 














c 


; 




























c 
































. c 


000 


000c 


c 
















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•C 'O TS 


tStS-Cc 


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c 


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< 




















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Pi:, 


















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1 1 11 
§ S ° 


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ft a 


$ safe's „ ^ ffl 




& 


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(^^W^gn^S 


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IN S 


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a"d n 


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da 


a 


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c ""., c 3 a -g d^ 


















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t: n c« h M !-n-j 
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IN CC 




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'"' 










1 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS, 101 

GREELEY COUNTY. 

Greeley County, on the high plains of western Kansas, slopes east- 
ward from an altitude of about 4,000 feet above sea level on the State 
line to 3,500 feet on its eastern margin. The surface is more or less 
deeply covered by Tertiary deposits, but the Niobrara chalk probably 
Ues at no great depth throughout the area, although possibly near the 
extreme north margin of the county there may be an overlap of 
Pierre shale. The dip is gently to the northeast. The Niobrara is 
probably from 600 to 700 feet thick and is separated from the Dakota 
sandstone by 400 feet of Benton shales. In the southeastern part of 
the county this sandstone lies from 800 to 1,100 feet deep, the depth 
increasing gradually from southeast to northwest until it is about 
1,400 feet in the northwest corner of the county. In a well recently 
bored at Horace, Kans., the Dakota sandstone was reached at a depth 
of 1,050 feet and was found to have a thickness of 300 feet. Layers 
of clay were intercalated in the sandstone. The well was continued 
to 1,350 feet, where the "Red Beds" were found. The water rises 
within 700 feet of the surface and 40 gallons per minute may be 
pumped. The record of this well throws a most important light on 
the position and capabilities of the Dakota sandstone in western 
Kansas. The thickness of the overlying beds is shown and the head 
of water ascertained. The low head of water in the Horace well 
indicates that there are no prospects for flowing water in the higher 
lands of western Kansas.^ 

The evidence obtained from various wells along the line of the Missouri Pacific Rail- 
way shows that there is a great underground ridge in the Cretaceous floor, in many- 
places coming to within 50 or 75 feet of the surface, with little water above the under- 
ground ridge. This part of Greeley County is one of the most unfortunate *eas in the 
State in this respect, yet it appears on the map to be completely covered with the 
Tertiary formations. In places the water is relatively abundant and of good quality. 
One of the worst features of this condition is that there are practically no indications on 
the surface where water can be obtained and where it can not. It seems to be almost 
wholly dependent upon the existence of ravines and channels in the surface of the 
Cretaceous floor, the existence of not one of them being indicated at the surface. The 
State well at Tribune, in the valley of the White Woman, reached the Cretaceous floor 
without passing through any water-bearing sand, while other wells near by on the 
highest ridges in the county found large quantities of water. 

******* 

In the western portion of Greeley County, where the Niobrara forms an underground 
ridge, water is very difficult to find in abundance, and often where a well is supplied 
with even a small quantity, the character of the water is such that it is not very usable 
because of the mineral substances contained in it. It would seem that the Niobrara 
floor under this area rises so decidedly that the underflow of sheet water does not find its 
way over it, and in consequence the Tertiary formation, although being in general of 
the same character as in other places, does not contain a supply of water. Along the 
valley of the White Woman, however, there is a supply of water in the sands, gravels, 
and clays, which seemingly is brought by the drainage of the valley.^ 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1965, pp. 300-301. 

2 Report of the Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 1896 to the Legislature of Kansas, 
pp. 101, 112. 



102 



QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Ill Table 34 the only analysis is of water from the wells of the 
Missouri Pacific Railway at Tribune. The water is soft. One of the 
assays is a test of water from the public well in Tribune which is shown 
to be soft. The assays of the two wells at Horace show that both 
well waters have high permanent hardness and that the chlorides in 
the private well are rather high. 

Table 34. — Analysis and assays of underground waters from Greeley County. 

[Parts per million.] 





















^^ 


^ 


0) 



























;^ 


oM 


n 


<3 


■^ 








No. 


Date. 


Source. 


1 


Analyst. 


o 




o 







a 


00 



02 

s 

o3 





t3 

■3 «* 












fl 








p 




M h 





tS — 


^ 






— ^ 








ft 
P 






a 
o 





^ 
S 


S.2 






M 





1 




> 




Eh 






ANALYSIS. 




























1 




Tribune, 3 wells 


129 


Missouri Pacific 


41 


1.7 


39 


5.2 


5 


67 




7.8 


7.8 


34 


•^nq 












ASSAYS. 






























1907. 






























1 


Dec. 14 
....do.... 


Horace, public well. . 
Horace, well of J. C. 
Holmes. 


oll5 
121 






.0 

n 








.0 
.0 


176 
133 


82 
168 


40 
116 






9 
























3 


....do.... 


Tribune, public well. 


96 






.0 








.0 


188 


Tr. 


15 













o About. 



GREENWOOD COUNTY. 



As Greenwood County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, hard 
waters must necessarily be expected. 

The analysis (Table 35) is of a very hard wat^r. Assay 1 is a test 
of water from the spring which was much used by the pioneers and 
which gave to the city of Eureka its name. The water is very much 
harder than that from the city wells, of which assay 2 is a test. 

Table 35. — Analysis and assays of underground waters from Greenwood County. 

[Parts per million.] 





















, 




^ 
























is 




o 






















Ml 




O 


o 


^ 




No. 


Date. 


Source. 


ft 


Analyst. 


O 


"a? 


g 

S 

3 


1 

d 


T3"m 


§ 


1 
o 


O 

■a 


O 

CD 

fl 

O 








O 




za 






S 


o 
02 


c3 

o 


fp 


3 


t3 






ANALYSIS. 
























1 




Madison, well on farm of Ar- 
nold Girard,a sec. 2, T. 22 


22 


F. W.Bushong. 


13 


9.2 


408 


384 


550 


274 




3,054 


70 












S., R. 12 E. 




























ASSAYS. 


























1907. 


























1 


May 14 


Eureka, Eureka Spring 

















.0 


364 


431 


421 


2 


...do 


Eureka, city supply, 2 wells . . 


21 






.0 








.0 


307 


Tr. 


14 



o Quoted from Kansas Acad, of Science, vol. 17, p. 53. 



QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 103 

HAMILTON COUNTY. 

Hamilton County, in Arkansas Valley, in the extreme western por- 
tion of the State, is underlain by the Dakota sandstone, Benton 
shales, and Niobrara formation, all of which dip gently to the north- 
east; the higher lands have a thick cover of Tertiary deposits. The 
Dakota sandstone is exposed in the southwest corner of the county, 
and the Benton shales appear in Arkansas Valley and at some isolated 
points to the south. The northern third of the county is underlain 
by Niobrara formation, which is exposed in some of the depressions 
north of Coolidge and Syracuse. 

The Dakota sandstone yields water to a number of wells in Arkan- 
sas Valley, some of which flow in the eastern margin of the Arkansas 
Valley artesian area, which extends into the center of this county. 
At Coolidge there is a group of flowing wells, ranging in depth from 
226 to 300 feet, which furnish flows of 27 to over 100 gallons a minute 
under slight pressure. Farther down the valley, especially near 
Syracuse, there are a number of wells in which the water rises within 
30 feet of the surface. Several wells have been sunk in portions of 
the county away from Arkansas Valley but have not reached Dakota 
sandstone. Even at Coolidge, flowing water is obtainable only in 
the lower part of the valley. The State well, 6 miles due north of 
Kendall, is 196 feet deep and obtains a water supply at 180 to 192 
feet from Tertiary gravel and fine sand lying on Niobrara chalk. A 
number of wells in various parts of the county obtained supplies 
from this horizon, which is the principal source, the shales below 
rarely containing any water.^ 

Analyses 1 and 2 (Table 36) are tests of waters at Coolidge. Anal- 
ysis 1 indicates a calcic sodic magnesic saline water, and analysis 2 
a calcic magnesic saline water. Analyses 3 to 8 show the quality of 
certain well waters about Kendall. Analysis 3 indicates a soft 
calcic alkaline water. Analysis 4 shows a calcic sodic saline water. 
Analyses 5, 6, and 8 are sodic alkaline waters that vary from fair to 
good for use in boilers. A sodic saline water is shown by analysis 7. 
The quality of waters around Syracuse is shown by analyses 9 to 
20. Hard calcic alkaline waters are indicated by analyses 12 and 

14. Calcic saline waters, poor for boiler use, are shown by analyses 

15, 16, and 17. A very bad water for steam boilers is the calcic 
magnesic sodic saline water shown by analysis 13. Sodic alkaline 
waters are indicated by analyses 9, 10, 11, 19, and 20. A sodic 
saline water good for boiler use is shown by analysis 18. 

The quality of several well waters in Coolidge is shown by assays 
1 to 4; these waters are all high in sulphates, but the shallow well 
water (assay 4) is notably the highest. The character of well waters at 
Syracuse is indicated by assays 5, 6, and 7. These waters are all high 
in sulphates, but the shallow well water (assay No. 1) is especially so. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 301. 



104 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 











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HAMILTON COUNTY. 



105 



O »0 O 00 O I- 



ot-h o-* c^ri £? 

nS C^Cq W'N (M 



o o o o o o o 



,-..-1 H 



O '— I -^ CO 1— I lO CO 



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;:3 ;:3 f*>S S ° o3 oJ 
o od O Offi i- i- 



,r ,r 5 ,rf=^ 



03 03 c3 



-^ri 



106 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

HARPER COUNTY. 

As Harper County is underlain by Permian rocks, it is probable 
that deep wells will yield highly mineralized waters. 

In Table 37, analyses 1 and 2 are tests of waters in Anthony. A 
sodic calcic saline water is shown by analysis 1 and a calcic alkaline 
water by analysis 2. Tests of water at Attica are recorded in analyses 
3 and 4; the former indicates a sodic calcic saline water and the latter 
a calcic sodic alkaline water. The shallow well water at Walden is 
shown by analysis 5 to belong to the calcic magnesic alkaline class. 

The city water of Anthony is shown by assay 1 to carry bicarbonates 
in moderate amount and high sulphates. The other assays are tests 
of well waters in Harper. Soft waters are indicated by assays 2 and 3. 
Assays 4 to 7 indicate waters high in bicarbonates, sulphates, and 
chlorides; therefore, these waters are so hard as to be distincth^ 
undesirable for domestic and manufacturing use. 



HARPER COUNTY. 



107 



Total 
dis- 
solved 
solids. 


o 







^ 




" 


















Vola- 
tile 
and or- 
ganic. 

53 


00 




















o oi ^ 

2.9G 


O IN t^ o to C*^ C-J^ COOOIOO 




g cs ^ ^ 




Bicar- 
bonate 












IN 000 •* 00 CD 
CO -^ t^ to 00 


OoO 

X2-^ 


o oo o o o o 
00 —1 en IN 02 


Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na-fK). 


O ^ O to 00 
1^ CO '.D to CO 
















a R s£ 

tM)3w^ 


t^ O IID -^ to 
!-l ^ Cq IN IN 
















d i^ 

"■3^ 


00 CO CD I:^ O 
to to -rt* . to to 
















■ 2S 




to 

10 

C3 


to 00 "O 00 0000 












<N 


















a 
<5 


=a =3 =« 

03 S =a 
S ■S ■^ 
« t2 S 
a • S* • 

^rt 8>. ^rt 

o ^ oy:^ o o3 
|1 §1 P ^ 

.goa 2^^ "02 
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«3 

C3 " 


















Depth 
(feet). 

16-23 
20 




(M CO 00 IC 
Cq <N CO »0 CM 

ci 


to 10 

IN CO 


6 

s 

3 
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1 1 
1=1 c 

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i> 





108 QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

HAEVEY COUNTY. 

Harvey County is underlain by Permian rocks, and as these rocks, 
as well as those beneath, yield highly mineralized waters, successful 
deep wells are improbable. The remarkable Equus beds (see pp. 
34-35), cross the western part of the county and yield the public water 
supply of Newton. 

Analysis 1, Table 38, shows a sodic magnesic saline water; one that 
as a drinking water would have a decided laxative effect. Analysis 
2 denotes a hard calcic saline water. Analyses 3, 4, and 5 are tests 
of calcic sodic alkaline waters. A calcic magnesic alkaline water is 
shown by analysis 6. 

The assays represent tests of well waters at Halstead and indicate 
soft waters. 



HARVEY COUNTY. 



109 



\ ^ ^rA 


en 

«5 
























Tota 

dis- 

solve( 

solid! 










CO 














ai 1 




















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o 


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l-t ■'J^ 1-1 i-l i-H 


S-So 


















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to 


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o oo o 


t. ca " 


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iz; 


























J 



110 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



HASKELL COUNTY. 

Haskell County is situated on the High Plains, between Arkansas and 
Cimarron Rivers. Its entire surface is mantled by Tertiary deposits 
from 20 to 100 feet or more in thickness, underlain in greater part by 
Benton shales. In the southern portion of the county the underlying 
Dakota sandstone is probably not far below the surface. This sand- 
stone is reached by several wells in which water rises somewhat, but 
gives no promise of a flow. At Santa Fe a well was bored 1,300 feet 
or more through Tertiary deposits, Benton shale, Dakota sandstone, 
and far into the ^'Red Beds," but no flowing water was obtained.^ 

No complete mineral analyses of waters in this county are avail- 
able for publication. The assays (Table 39) are typical of the best 
waters that are drawn from the "underflow" which is moving slowly 
southeastward over the Cretaceous floor. These waters are soft and 
satisfactory for domestic use. 

Table 39. — Assays of ground waters from Haskell County. 
[Parts per million.] 















^ 






No. 


Date. 


Source. 


4J 

si 
ft 


o 


d 
o 

a 
o 

o 


o 
o 

a 

fl 
o 
.g 

o 

5 


6 

m 
P. 

3 

m 


6 
o 


1 


1907. 
Nov. 4 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 


Santa Fe, well of J. F. Rutledge, Santa Fe 
Hotel 


330 
382 
208 

159 

150 


0.0 
Trace. 
Trace. 

.0 

Trace. 


0.0 
.0 
.0 

.0 

.0 


185 
185 
185 

178 

180 


Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 


15 


2 


Santa Fe. well of J. J. Miller, block 36, lot 7, 
Powell s addition 


10 


3 


Santa Fe, well of Jas. S. Patrick, NE. J sec. 1, 
T. 29 S., R. 33 W 


10 


4 


Santa Fe, well of J. H. Graver, 9 miles south- 
east of city on SW. J sec. 8, T. 29 S., R. 
31 W 


10 


5 


Santa Fe , well of John Rogers , 13 miles south- 
east of city on NE. i sec. 27, T. 29 S., R. 
31 W 


15 









HODGEMAN COUNTY. 

The greater part of Hodgeman County is underlain by the Benton 
shales, but the higher divides are capped by Tertiary deposits, and 
Pawnee Valley, in the eastern part, cuts into the Dakota sandstone. 
Some of the numerous wells penetrate Dakota sandstone and obtain 
satisfactory supphes of water, especially wells in Pawnee Valley below 
Jetmore. In the extreme northwest corner of the county the Dakota 
sandstone lies about 400 feet below the surface; in the extreme 
southwest portion, about 200 to 250 feet; throughout the county, 
therefore, the sandstone is within reach of wefls of moderate depth. i 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 303. 



HODGEMAN COUNTY. 



Ill 



From the foregoing paragraph it appears that wells m Hodgeman 
County may derive their water from the Tertiary deposits, the 
Benton group, or the Dakota sandstone. Water from the first and 
last of these is generally very satisfactory, though that drawn from 
the upper part of the Dakota sandstone is apt to carry enough sul- 
phates to make it desirable to sink the wells below the gypsiferous 
shales of the formation. The water that is derived from the Benton 
group is usually limited in quantity and highly mineralized. George 
I. Adams has called attention to the fact that in this county a fiuviatile 
deposit, consisting of Tertiary sands and gravels and worked-over clay 
is found in every small stream and draw.^ At Jetmore in the bot- 
toms of Buckner Creek wells at the depth of 32 feet discover water in 
this material, which largely disappears farther upstream at the limits 
of the Benton group. 

The only complete analysis (Table 40) is that of water from a shal- 
low well in the alluvium; it indicates a calcic alkaline water of con- 
siderable temporary hardness. Assay 4 shows the composition of water 
from a well that is probably in the alluvium. Assay 1 is high in sul- 
phates and is a test of water from a well that probably draws its water 
from the Benton group. Assays 2 and 3 indicate soft waters from 
wells that are in the Tertiary and tap the "sheet water" or "under- 
flow." Assays 5, 6, and 7 show the quality of waters drawn from the 
Dakota sandstone. 



Table AQ.— Analysis and assays of ground waters from Hodgeman County. 
[Parts per million.] 























. 


^ 
























C3 ■ 




O 






















'S, 
a 


-¥ 


n 




.^ 




No. 


Date. 


Source. 


p. 

ft 


Analyst. 


o 

1 


a 
2 


IS 

o 


11 

il 

o 

02 


o 

a 
o 

O 


03 

a 
o 

C3 

s 


o 

a 

"3 

CO 


3 

i 

S 
o 




1902. 


ANALYSIS. 
























1 


Oct. 15 


Jetmore, surface well . . 


... 


Atchison, Topeka & 
Santa Fe Ry. 


54 


1.5 


9.5 


14 


31 


170 




36 


24 



1 Report of the Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 1896 to the Legislature of 
Kansas, pp. 105 et seq. 



112 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Table 40. — Analysis and assays of ground waters from Hodgeman County — Continued. 

[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 




1907. 


1 


Dec. e 


2 


...do-... 


3 


...do.... 


4 


...do.... 


5 


...do 


6 


...do 


7 


...do.... 



Source. 



ASSAYS. 

Jetmore, well of Geo. E. Martin, NE. } sec. 35, 

T.22S.,R.24W 15 0.0 0.0 272 116 10 

Jetmore, well at almshouse, NE. J sec. 6, T. 

2-4S., R.23W 60± Tr. .0 222 Tr. 34 

Jetmore, J. McClure's well, NE. J sec. 12, T. 24 

S.,R.24W 03 .0 .0 233 Tr. 15 

Jetmore, public well 70 1.0 .0 241 Tr. 10 

Jetmore, well of T. J. Palmer 200± .0 .0 278 47 24 

Jetmore, well of Geo. Orbison, SW.isec. 36, T 

22S., R. 24W 240 .0 .0 254 181 55 

Jetmore, well of C. W. Patchen, SW.Jsec. 6, 

T.24S.,R.23W 256 Tr. .0 338 173 40 









^-^ 










o 










o 








O 


w 


'-! 


• 




o 




O 


















03 




«s 


*&? 


+^ 


a 


a> 


si 


&- 


a 

o 


^ 


Xi 


ft 


a 


ja 


p. 


ft 


P 


2 


03 

O 


m 


3 


15 


0.0 


0.0 


272 


116 


60± 


Tr. 


.0 


222 


Tr. 


03 


.0 


.0 


233 


Tr. 


70 


1.0 


.0 


241 


Tr. 


200± 


.0 


.0 


278 


47 


240 


.0 


.0 


254 


181 


256 


Tr. 


.0 


338 


173 



JACKSON COUNTY. 

As Jackson County is underlain by Pennsyivanian rocks hard 
waters must be expected, except possibly from some shallow wells 
that are sunk in glacial deposits. 

The analysis (Table 41) shows a calcic sodic alkaline water. Assay 
1 indicates a soft water and assay 2 one of decided temporary and 
permanent hardness. 

Table 41. — Analysis and assays of ground waters from Jackson County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 


si 
1 


Analyst. 


o 

CO 


2 


o 

i 


to 

a 


03 

o • 


d 
o 

03 

a 
o 


O 

o 

C3 

a 
o 

5 


O 
m 

S 

03 

-a 

02 


5 
a> 

a 
_o 
2 
o 


1 


1902. 
Dee. 10 

1907. 
July 15 
...do 


ANALYSIS. 

Holton, well of Chicago, 
Rock Island & Pacific 
Ry. 

ASSAYS. 

Holton, well of city hotel 

Holton, well of Perkins Ice 
and Cold Storage Co. 


60 

72 


Kennicott Water 
Softener Co. 


33 


1.4 



120 


27 


80 


209 

.0 
.0 


258 
340 


125 

Tr. 

47 


76 
65 









1 5 








100 



















QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



113 



JEFFERSON COUNTY. 

Underground water is Ojbtained in Jefferson County under practi- 
cally the same conditions as in Jackson County. 

The analysis, Table 42, shows a calcic magnesic alkaline water. 
Assay 1 indicates a hard water and assay 2 shows the highly mineral- 
ized water that may be expected in deep wells. 

Table 42. — Analysis and assays of ground waters from Jefferson County. 
[Parts per million.] 





















1 




























g 




O 


































No. 


Date. 


Source. 


1 
.a 
ft 


Analyst. 


O 

03 

m 


1 


Q 


1 


'■B 

o 
m 


d 
o 

O 
03 

a 


M 

o 
o 


d 

ft 
3 

ai 


3 

1 

o 

o 






ANALYSIS. 


























1903. 


























1 


Feb. 24 






Kennicott Water 
Softener Co. 


20 




65 


.^4 


3.9 


136 




34 


6 














ASSAYS. 


























1907. 


























1 


July 13 


Valley Falls, well of 
J. M. Piazzek.a 


25 


















V4H 


T-17 


162 


























r>, 


do 


Valley Falls, well of 
Mel. Legler.f) 


1,253 






•■i 5 











llfi 




36, 800 



























a Located between the Leavenworth, Kansas & Western and Missouri Pacific Ry. tracks. 
b Prospect hole put down in 1889. Water comes in at 400 feet. SO4 greater than 626. 

JEWELL COUNTY. . 

Jewell County is situated on the high divide between Solomon 
and Republican rivers. The high ridges in the northwestern part 
of the county are capped by Tertiary grit; the central, northern, 
and western portions are underlain by Niobrara chalk; and, in the 
lower lands to the south and east the Benton shales reach the sur- 
face. The Dakota sandstone, which outcrops in Republican and 
Solomon valleys, underlies the entire county, lying nearly level or 
dipping gently to the northwest. In the eastern and southern sec- 
tions of the county it lies but a short distance below the surface, 
but the depth increases gradually under the higher lands to the 
north and west, so that probably it lies 700 to 800 feet deep in the 
northwest portion of the county. Apparently the main body of the 
sandstone has not been reached by deep wells in this county, although 
several borings 300 to 500 feet deep have been sunk through the 
Benton shales to a water-bearing horizon, which in this region 
contains considerable salt and has yielded salty waters which have 
not been useful. One well near Jewell, 337 feet deep, obtained 
salt water which rose within 25 feet of the surface. At Ionia is a 
77836°— wsp 273—11 8 



114 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

similar well 432 feet deep. At Mankato a well 500 feet deep found 
an abundance of salt water which rose within 50 feet of the surface. 
Borings 3^ miles northwest of Lovewell 380 and 400 feet deep also 
found salt water. Unfortunately these borings were not made suffi- 
ciently deep to test Dakota sandstone, for although it is not likely that 
wells in that formation would obtain flowing water, except possibly 
on the lowest lands, the water may be expected to be of good quality.^ 

It will be seen by referring to the geologic map that a long nan-ow tongue of the 
Tertiary formation extends along the north side of the county to the Republican 
River, occupying the high ridge between the Republican River on the north and the 
White Rock on the south. The Cretaceous chalk beds are exposed along the White 
Rock almost entirely across the county, and also along the bluffs of the Republican, 
but on this divide the whole of the formation to a depth of about 100 feet is Tertiary. 
A cross section of the Tertiary ridge taken from surface contours and the records of 
various wells shows that the Tertiary ridge rests in an old Cretaceous trough. The 
whole belt is full of wells, usually nearly 100 feet deep, every one of which furnishes 
a large supply of good water, while along the Republican brakes to the north, or the 
White Rock to the south, water is hard to obtain by digging, and that which is pro- 
cured is so mineralized it is not very serviceable. Another evidence favoring the 
idea of a Cretaceous trough under the Tertiary ridge is the condition of springs. 
Scarcely a spring is known along either side of the belt throughout Jewell County, 
but at the eastern end of the area, along the bluffs of the Republican River, springs 
are numerous. The supply of water they furnish is abundant and the quality is 
the same as that produced by the wells of the Tertiary area.^ 

The analyses and assays (Table 43) that are available for pubh- 
cation are entirely inadequate to show the different kinds of ground 
waters in the county, for no tests have been made of waters from wells 
in the Tertiary nor of the salt water from the deep wells. Analysis 
1 shows a very heavily mineralized magnesic calcic saline water. 
Analysis 4 is a test of a magnesic calcic potassic saline water that, 
as a drinking water, would be highly laxative. Analysis 2 indicates 
a hard calcic alkahne water. Analysis 3 shows a sodic calcic alka- 
hne water. The two assays indicate hard unsatisfactory waters. 
These analyses as a whole show that the waters outside of the Ter- 
tiary area are unsatisfactory for domestic and industrial use. This 
accords with the popular idea that it is difficult to find any other 
than hard waters in Jewell County. Outside of the Tertiary area 
the only solution of the water problem appears to be to sink wells 
deep into the Dakota sandstone. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, pp. 304-305. 

2 Report of the Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 189G to the Legislature of 
Kansas, p. 97. 



JEWELL COUNTY. 



115 



Total 
dis- 
solved 
solids. 




; 5S 

I CDt~ 








Vola- 
tile 
and or- 
ganic. 




'I' 












CD .-( Tt< CT> i-H »0 


1 ® ^ 

"3 "go 


i-( ^ ^ -^ CO o 
CT> r-l rt O COtH 
C4" lO 


1 »'s 
S"So 
.3 ao 











t^ 


0) . 
i 03 "^ 

a oo 







Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na-l-K). 


(M Olio OJ 
CO lO t> CO 






d Fl--^ 


CO 1^ 














d--A 
o ® 


<N g O O 

« •« H 


id 


g§ ?? 




CO 






"3 
■»1 


d 
a c 

C3 CP 
»^ T 

kJ £ = 

^ 


S 

- i 

as "".s 







053 




0<M 

COW 




g 


i 

d 
o 

02 


m 

►J !=l 


s:^ 


§ 
1 

d 


1 

03 

d 
03 


cS 

R 










CO 

^ Si © 


6 


T-\ 


CM 


CO 


Tf 


tH 


CM 


1 



cj g 
o ft 

c3ft] 



Zd 






^5 !2; 






d gti"^ 

m'S ^ + 
d §2^ 

a .0 « ^ 



116 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



JOHNSON COUNTY. 

Ground water is obtained under the same conditions in Johnson 
County as in Jackson County, except that there are probably no 
wells in the drift, as this county appears to lie outside the glaciated 
area. Shallow springs and wells yielding hard waters are common. 
No analyses are presented. The only assays (Table 44) were made 
in Olathe and indicate hard waters. 

Table 44. — Assays of underground waters from Johnson County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 


Iron 

(Fe). 


Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 


Sul- 
phate 
(SO,). 


Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 


1 

2 


1907. 
Jan. 5 
...do 


Olathe, well of State School for the Deaf 

Olathe, well of E. P. Mills 


0.0 
.0 


0.0 
.0 


183 
410 


116 
103 


24 

70 



KEARNY COUNTY. 

Kearny County is in Arkansas Valley, and its geologic relations are 
similar to those in Hamilton County, but the formations are for the 
most part obscured by a heavy covering of Tertiary and alluvial 
deposits. The Dakota sandstone lies at a depth of about 300 feet 
along Arkansas Valley, and is deeper in the northern portion of the 
county, owing to the northeasterly dip of the beds and the rise of the 
land. No deep wells are reported, but abundant water supplies are 
obtainable from the Dakota sandstone at moderate depths in Arkan- 
sas Valley, though flows are not probable. The underlying "Red 
Beds" may yield flowing water, which would, however, doubtless be 
too salty for use. ^ 

Analyses 1 to 6 (Table 45) show calcic sodic magnesic saline waters 
that for use in boilers run from poor to bad. Analysis 7 indicates a 
calcic sodic saline water that is very good in steam boilers. Analyses 
8 and 1 1 are tests of calcic magnesic saline waters that are very bad for 
steam boilers. Analyses 9 and 10 show calcic alkaline waters suitable 
for boiler use. Assays 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, and 9 indicate waters high in sul- 
phates, but which carry only moderate amounts of bicarbonates. The 
water of which assay 4 is a test is high in chlorides. Assay 3 shows a 
soft deep well water. Assay 5 indicates that the water of a widely 
known well in the sand hills is soft. Assay 8 shows a water moderately 
mineralized by bicarbonates and which carries rather high sulphates. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Gebl. Survey No. 82, 1905, p. 306. 



Keaeny county. 



117 



1 _^ 












CO Oi 00 «: 


CV 


oc 




^ 


CT) 








« -rt • 













-Hoa 


t^ 










CO 








Tota 
dis- 
solve 
solids 




in 








OOCOCT 




cv 


c 



























^ 














































ola- 
ile 
nd 
anic. 










c<- 


OJ M 'O 00 C 


^ 


c 


CO 
















c^ t^ r^ u:) zc 


a> 


c- 










>-"c3M 


































O 
































5 2'^ 




















r- 


c^ 










&-m 












t-OcO 00 c 


OJ C3- 




00 








^ 






o- 


CO CO CO t^ 


CM 


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(M 


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■2-^ 




>* 


































go 






































r^; 






































•z,^ 






































O) ^ 




0: 






c 


(M 00 ^ 


CO 10 u" 


^^ 


cr 




OC 


c^ 















CO r^ c 




^ 


CC 


C^ 


IM 


>o 
















c^ 


cooic<- 


^ 




^ 






n 








cscsO 

































CC 

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miW 




































































S^ 





























c 





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c 


t^ :o r^ 






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(>) cno■ 




s 


c 


c; 


c: 


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idium 

and 

otas- 

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a+K). 











c: 


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oc 


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<g ft"^i 
































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rh 


















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r- 












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5000 


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<^' 


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c 


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oi 







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1-5 


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118 



QUALITY OP THE WATEE SlTPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Q 



1.^ 



1 



Total 
dis- 
solved 
solids. 


















Vola- 
tile 
and 
organic. 


















3.S6 


O r-< lO O O O CD 

r-\ ir:> y-i cc CO (N "^ 


1-^ 
go 


















■3|c5 


C3 vS CO .-H Tj< 00 


.2 go 


.-) t^ 00 Tt* -H 1-1 r^ 

05 CO lO to Oi rH CSl 

■-{ (N (M M .-1 (M (N 


OoO 


OOO o o o o 
o ■ ■ 


Sodium 
and 

potas- 
sium 
(Na+K). 


















ga- 
lls 






































o o § 
o " f 








030 


















<1 


















6d- 

ft tt! 
0) CO 


CO o 


ira o in o 

C*3 -f t^ CM 


3 
o 

03 


■^ X, b:° ® °> °-9 °'S 

03 -a '^ be '^^■^j:, -sS ■3'- 

1 1 .• i ^§i^^i ^1 

vj '^ Zl > COS .<^ .^r^ .►^.^ -^^ 

ij 1-1 02 MM M M 


ft 




c 


o 


o 
-a 


o 

■a 


o 






c^ 


■* 


^. 


tc 


t> 


00 


oa 





QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 119 

KINGMAN COUNTY. 

As Kingman County is underlain by Permian rocks the prospect 
for good waters is poor, for the rocks of this series and of the Penn- 
sylvanian beneath it usually yield highly mineralized waters. But 
the western part of the county is underlain by Tertiary deposits 
which normally supply good water. 

Analysis 1, Table 46, shows a calcic saline water and analysis 4 a 
calcic alkaline water; both of these waters have considerable perma- 
nent hardness. Analyses 2 and 3 show soft calcic alkaline waters. 

Assay 2, Table 46, is a test of the same water as analysis 3, and this 
water is practically the same as that of which assay 1 is a test and 
which comes from a spring near the Hinds Spring. Assay 3 shows 
the composition of the old public water supply of Kingman. The 
water is apparently affected by the old salt well that is in the city. 
Assay No. 5 shows rather high chlorides, and it may be that the well 
from which the water was taken is very slightly influenced by the 
salt well. The other assays are of reasonably soft waters from 
shallow wells in the city. 



120 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 



Total 
dis- 
solved 
solids. 


s 






(^ 
















o flj ro 

■^ 3 


s 




CT> 
















cc 

q6 OC CI OicDCOi-ICDO 


Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 


g "^ s g . § g 


S5 i i 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 










t— r^ CO CO 
cc (M T-i 00 r^ 


0) . 

,^lo 


00000 

tM CO CT> (M 
TO l~ t^ >-l 


Sodium 
and 
potas- 
sium 

(Na+K). 


00 10 

10 01 IM 














Pi 


-^ CM 

06 f- CO 














3|t 


0^ C3 f^ 
CC 10 ■* 10 














lb 


T-H cq « 
(>i i-i ^ 


00 aJ 


So 

MM. 


S E^ S 
















"3 


a3 1* oJ 

•g grt ^ gP5 

•g §^ 1=;^ g^ 
g SS 2o SS 

.S Soj S-S Boa 

•^ < i4 ^ 










- 






<M 










10 CO 
Tfl (M rH CO 


§ 


CO 

1-1 

< 

c 
c 


r 
"E 

r 
r 

C 


1 


'0 

u 1 

- 'SI 2 

c ^'^ i 

as c 
^^ = 

•a C c: 


^ ^ ^ ^ ^ a 

^ ";■ -p, M e .„• 

H . M -E 5" -3 Sh .§ 
w ft g M f^-Sc„ 

Wo p ^i3 pq 
cs^dX'ts . cs csm Id 2 

M 5 6J5 9" Moj bil M M r! tJO 

M M M M M M 


ft 




^ Tt< tH 
.<M . .<M .M 
C^ ^ .-( t^ 

s^ ii s| ss ^ 

<! 1^ P 


C 


p 







1 




c^ 


c 


•* 


- 


C^ 


C^ 


■* 


- 


CC 





QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 121 

KIOWA COUNTY. 

Kiowa County extends from Arkansas Valley southeastward across 
the divide to Medicine Lodge River. Its surface is covered with 
younger formations — alluvium and sand hills in the northwest corner 
and Tertiary deposits on the higher lands to the south and east. 
The Dakota sandstone lies at no great distance beneath the surface 
and is exposed on the opposite side of Arkansas River and in the 
southeast corner of the county. The Dakota thins rapidly to the 
southeast, owing mainly to the erosion of its surface, and in Medi- 
cine Lodge Valley the underlying lower Cretaceous sandstones and 
"Red Beds" are exposed. 

Most of the wells in the county obtain water from the basal por- 
tion of the Tertiary deposits, but some have been bored into the 
underlying Dakota sandstone. One well, 9 miles southwest of 
Greensburg, has a depth of 202 feet and the water supply rises to 112 
feet. Flowing waters are not obtainable in this county, not even 
from the "Red Beds," which underlie the Dakota and lower Creta- 
ceous sandstones. Possibly the "Red Beds" contain water, but 
it would be too salty for use.^ 

Analyses 1, 3, and 4 (Table 47) exhibit soft calcic alkaline waters 
and analysis 2 shows a sodic calcic alkaline water. The two assays 
indicate water of moderate temporary and low permanent hardness. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 305. 



122 



QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Total 
dis- 
solved 
solids. 




: ^ 


: 2 






6 a>^ 

i-ss 


05 O? lO to O W3 


M 


O CD 00 ^ rf rt 


1 tul? 










: ?;?^ 

(N(N 




OO 

(N CO oo t^ 
O rH CO l~. 


Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na+K). 


00 

t~ 00 CO C3i 








CS 1-1 cc 
!>: C<1 Tji 00 






o-go 


CO '^ Oi ■»!< 
lO CD 00 ^ 








(N 0> OO 

a a 




IN 


<N 








"3 


M 

o 


O 


c 




'O 

a 
— 

o 

«^ 

drt 

Q 






S 


o t^ o 

O CT> O 


3 
o 


3 
C 

o 


o 


1 


O 


— O 

sa 

i-H a 

. 0) 

.^ =§3 

^ °° 
" II 

&jo bjo 
3 3 
mm 

n a 

aj a> 
OO 


ft 


00 00 CO ■ 

is U is ii' m 

ft m ft M ;? : 




d 

!2; 


-^ 


N 


CO 


•9 


tH 


IM 





QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



123 



LABETTE COUNTY. 



Labette County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, from which, 
as a rule, hard waters are derived. 

No analyses are available for publication. Assay 1, Table 48, 
shows a water which carries a moderate amount of chlorides and 
bicarbonates, but which is high in sulphates. Assays 2 and 10 
indicate soft waters low in chlorides. Assay 7 is a test of a water low 
in chlorides and sulphates, but having great temporary hardness. 
Assay 3 represents the hardest and most unsatisfactory water that was 
tested in the county, for its permanent and temporary hardness are 
very great and the chlorides are high. Assays 4 and 5 are tests of 
flowing wells that are believed to derive their waters from the Ozark 
dome; these waters have high temporary hardness and chlorides. 
Assays 6, 8, and 9 show rather unsatisfactory waters, such as are com- 
monly found in the shallow wells in the Pennsylvanian rocks. 

Table 48. — Assays of underground waters from Lahette County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


1 
2 


1905. 
July 17 
...do 


3 


...do.... 


4 


...do.... 


5 


1906. 
Dec. 12 


6 


1905. 
July 17 


7 


...do.... 


8 


July 19 


9 


...do.... 


10 


...do.... 



Source. 



Bartlett, well 

Bartlett, spring 24 miles 
south of city. 

Chetopa, well west of Mis- 
souri, Kansas & Texas 
Ry. depot. 

Chetopa, flowing well 4 
miles east and 1 mile 
north of city.'' 

Chetopa, flowing well, 
city supply. 6 

Oswego, well 1 mile south 

and 3 miles west of city. 
Oswego, well 4 miles south 

and 5 miles west of city. 
Parsons, well 2 miles 

south of city on upland. 
Parsons, well 2 miles 

south and 2 miles east of 

city. 
Parsons, well 3 miles 

south of city. 



Depth 

(feet). 



12 



10-12 
950 

1,114 



Analyst. 



E. Bartow. 
do 



.do..., 
.do.... 



E. Bartow. 
do 

do 



Iron 
(Pe). 


Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 


Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 


0.0 
.0 


0.0 
.0 


216 
255 


176 
Trace. 


Tr. 


.0 


372 


(a) 


.0 


.0 


358 


44 


.0 


Trace. 


456 


0.0 


.0 


.0 


264 


138 


.5 


.0 


449 


Trace. 


.0 


.0 


293 


40 


.0 


.0 


274 


48 


.0 


.0 


196 


Trace. 



Chlo- 
rine 
(01). 



45 
9.2 

142 
260 

211 

73 
9.2 
299 
81 

14 



a SO4 greater than 626. 



ft H2S present. 



LANE COUNTY. 

Lane County is mantled by Tertiary deposits resting on several 
hundred feet of Niobrara chalk, which is exposed in some of the deeper 
depressions to the north and east. The Dakota sandstone lies at a 
depth which increases gradually from about 500 feet in the south- 
eastern corner of the county to 700 feet in the northwestern corner, 
the beds dipping very gently to the north and the surface rising very 
gradually to the west. A well 400 feet deep 3 miles north of Shields 



124 



QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



obtains a very small supply of water from a thin sandstone bed, 
probably in the upper part of the Benton formation. This county 
lies too high for an artesian flow, but the Dakota sandstone may be 
expected to yield water that would rise within 300 or 400 feet of the 
surface and yield an abundant supply to pump wells.^ 

Both the analyses and the assays (Table 49) indicate fairly satis- 
factory waters from the Tertiary deposits. 

Table 49. — Analyses and assays of ground waters from Lane County. 
[Parts per million.] 





















g 
































3 




/■—, 






o 


13 




















m 




o 






■5 


1 

> 

1 






















1^ 


d 


M 


d 







No 


Date. 


Source. 


1 

0) 


Analyst. 


d 

1 


a 
2 

1— 1 


3 

o 


s 


s «* 

3 
O 

m 


g 


o3 

a 
o 

-S 

S 


03 
3 

m 


o 
a 

o 

o 


CI 
03 


> 






ANALYSES. 




























1 




Healy, 2 wells 


110 


Missouri Pacific 
Rv. 


65 


1.8 


58 


20 


25 


118 




63 


17 


12 


381 













Pendennis, well 

ASSAYS. 


105 


do 


38 


1 


51 


14 


8.9 


112 




20 


5.9 


8 


•'fin 












1907. 






























^ 


Dec. 11 


Dighton, well of 
Commercial Hotel 

















.0 


254 


46 


75 






























on Main Street. 




























? 


...do 


Dighton, well of 
Henry Seemann. 








Tr. 








.0 


254 


Tr. 


4.5 
























LEAVENWORTH COUNTY. 

Leavenworth County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, which 
yield highly mineralized waters, but there may be wells in glacial de- 
posits that supply water of superior quality. 

Analysis 1, Table 50, represents a test of a highly mineralized mine 
water. The other analysis and the two assays indicate very hard 
waters. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 306. 



LINCOLN COUNTY. 



125 



Table 5Q. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Leavenworth County. 

[Parts per million.] 



No. 



Date. 



1907. 
July 12 



...do. 



Source. 



ANALYSES. 

Leavenworth, natatorium 
of Home-Riverside Coal- 
Mining Co., from mines 
750 feet deep.f 

Leavenworth, water in No. 
1 plant of the Home 
mine.o 

ASSAYS. 

Leavenworth, well of Leav- 
enworth Packing Co., 
744 Shawnee Street. 

Leavenworth, well of F. E. 
Lambert, 211 Kiowa 
Street. 



60 



Analyst. 



O. F. Stafford. 



.do. 



110 






9,296 



15,717 



141 
130 



a Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 7. 



LINCOLN COUNTY. 



Lincoln County includes a portion of the valley of Saline River and 
the adjoining slopes. In the river valley and along the east side of 
the county the Dakota sandstone is exposed and the higher lands are 
capped by a few hundred feet of Benton shales. Most of the many 
wells obtain their water from the Dakota sandstone, some of them 
from a depth as great as 280 feet. The water rises nearly to the sur- 
face and has considerable volume.^ 

The analysis and assays, Table 51, show hard, unsatisfactory waters- 
Probably wells sunk deep into the Dakota sandstone would yield 
better water. 

Table 51. — Analysis and assays of underground waters of Lincoln County. 
[Parts per million.] 





















^ . 




0) 
















































S 


aw 


O 
Q 


c3 


n 




No. 


Date. 


Source. 


ft 
ft 


Analyst. 


O 

S 

03 


5- 

a 
o 

l-H 


o 

'3 
o 




is 

■B.B 

O to 


1 

a 
o 


C3HH 


o2 


O 

a 
1 

O 






ANALYSIS. 
















1902. 


























1 


Sept. 19 


Barnard, well 




Atchison, Topeka & 
Santa Fe Ry. 


30 


Tr. 


201 


17 


51 


1.88 




308 


36 














ASSAYS. 


























1907. 


























1 


Sept. 9 
Sept. 10 


Lincohi, city supply, 2 

wells. 
Lincoln, well of Cooper 

Ice Co. 


4S 


















31'^ 


143 


34 


9 


75 






n 











356 


T>~ 


44 



























"Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 306. 



126 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



LINN COUNTY. 

Linn County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks and its well 
waters are hard. 

No water analyses are available for publication. Of the assays 
in Table 52, only 7 and 9 indicate soft waters. Assays 1,3, and 6 
show waters of high temporary and low permanent hardness. Assays 
2, 4, and 8 are tests of waters of high temporary and permanent 
hardness. Assays 10 and 11 show the highly mineralized ground 
waters that are found at Pleasanton. 

Table 52. — Assays of underground waters of Linn County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


1 


1905. 
June 26 


2 


.. do 


3 

4 


June 25 
...do 


5 


...do 


6 


...do 


7 


...do 


8 


...do 


9 


June 26 


10 


1907. 
Aug. 23 


11 


...do 



Source. 



Depth 
(feet). 



Analyst. 



Iron 
(Fe). 



Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 


Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 


0.0 


503 


Trace. 


.0 


450 


54 


.0 
.0 


487 
329 


Trace. 

74 


.0 


265 


43 


.0 


293 


Trace. 


.0 


265 


Trace. 


.0 


341 


97 


.0 


136 


Trace. 


.0 


369 


{d) 


.0 


624 


573 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



Boicourt, well 3 miles west 

and 1 mile north of city.a 
Boicourt, well at Sugar Creek 

Bridge, southwest of city. 

Laeygne, public well 

Lacygne,well on high ground 

2^ miles north and 4-J miles 

west of city. 
Laeygne, spring 3 miles east 

of city.ft 
Lacygiie, spring 3J miles east 

arid 1 mile north of city, c 
Laeygne, Rock Spring, 3J 

miles east and 2 miles north 

of city, c 
Laeygne, well 6 miles east of 

city. 
Pleasanton, spring near Mine 

Creek east of city. 

Pleasanton, stock well on 

Eighth Street. 
Pleasanton, Everett's well. 

Ninth and Main Streets, c 



E. Bartow. 
do 



....do .1 

....do 



do... 

do... 



.do. 



.do. 
.do. 



...do.. 



0.0 
.0 



198 
20 



9.7 
9.7 
9.7 



209 
12 

290 
205 



a Odor of H2S. 

& Used to supply E. W. Pollman's ranch. 

c Upland. 



d SO4 greater than 626. 
e Sunk 30 years ago and believed to be 
typical of local wells. 



LOGAN COUNTY. 

Logan County includes a portion of Smoky Hill Valley an^ adjoin- 
ing high plains. The Tertiary deposits have been extensively 
removed by the river, which has cut a wide valley into the underlying 
Pierre formation to the west and into the Niobrara chalk to the east. 
The western and northern parts of the county are underlain by the 
Pierre shale and the southeastern part by the Niobrara formation. 
The Dakota sandstone lies at a depth of 800 to 1,000 feet in the south- 
eastern part of the county and 1,000 to 1,500 feet in the higher lands 
in the northern and western parts, the beds dipping gently to the 
north. It is probable that the head of water in the Dakota sandstone 
is sufficient to raise it to an elevation of about 3,000 feet, so that the 
formation should be expected to yield a flow in wells in the valleys 
of Smoky Hill River and Twin Butte Creek. Several attempts have 



LOGAN COUNTY. 



127 



been made to reach the deeper-seated watets in this county. The 
boring put down by the Union Pacific Railroad Co. at Winona is 
1,356 feet deep, all below 160 feet being in shales, and is reported as 
a dry hole. White shale was penetrated from 1,100 to 1,175 feet, 
probably representing a portion of the Niobrara formation. This 
hole undoubtedly would have reached the Dakota sandstone within 
a short distance and found a water supply which would have risen 
to within 300 or 400 feet below the surface. Two deep borings on 
Hell Creek, in the extreme southeastern corner of the county, reached 
a depth of 500 feet, all in the Niobrara formation and the top shales 
of the Benton, without obtaining water, and a 408-foot boring at 
Elkader had a similar result. A boring at Oakley is said to have 
reached a depth of 700 feet and obtained a small amount of water, 
which rose to within 30 feet of the surface. It is reported that some 
water was found at 90 feet and at intervals down to 350 feet in alter- 
nating sands and clays in part of the Tertiary deposits. The underly- 
ing shales extend to the bottom, which lacks about 450 feet of reach- 
ing the Dakota sandstone. Oakley is slightly too high for a flow.^ 
The only analysis in Table 53 shows a rather hard calcic magnesic 
alkaline water at Oakley; assays 1 and 2, which are also tests of well 
waters in Oakley, show soft waters. Assay 5 indicates low bicar- 
bonates and moderately high sulphates in a well at Winona. The 
Oakley and Winona waters are derived from the Tertiary deposits. 
Assays 3 and 4 show \ery hard waters at Russell Springs. 



Table 53. — Analysis and assays of underground waters from Logan County. 

[Parts per million.] 



No. 



Date. 



1 Mar. 18 



1907. 
Sept. 22 



Source. 



ANALYSIS. 



Oakley, well. 



..do.... 

Nov. 24 



Sept. 23 



..do... 



Oakley,wellof v. Kag- 
ger. Central Avenue 
and Fifth Street. 

Oakley, well of Union 
Pacific R. R. 

Russell Springs, spring 
at head of draw in 
south part of city, 
public supply. 

Russell Springs, well 
of R. J. Abell, in 
bottoms of Smoky 
Hill River. 

Winona, well of F. E. 
Brook. 



20 



Analyst. 



Union Pacific 
R. R. 



34 



300 



83 



26 



1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, pp. 306-307. 



128 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



LYON COUNTY. 

Ijyon County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, which yield 
hard waters. 

The analysis, Table 54, indicates a sodic calcic saline water. All 
of the assays, except No. 4, show waters of high permanent hard- 
ness; assay 4 indicates a soft water. 

Table 54. — Analysis and assays of underground waters from Lyon County. 
[Parts per million.] 













M 






C3 






c3 

<a 
bo 














S 


+ 





fl~ 


^ 






No. 


Date. 

• 


Source. 

• 


1 

si 
ft 

0) 

Q 


Analyst. 


■a? 
§ 


C8 

o 
o 


S 
P 

a 







0) 

(3 

a 







m 

a> 

OS 

ft 


1 


S 



1 

2 

> 






ANALYSIS. 


























1901. 


1 






















1 


Oct. 3 
1905. 


Emporia, well at stockyards.' . . . 

ASSAYS. 


Atchison, Topeka 
& Santa Fe Ry. 




95 


12 


130 


198 




75 


114 


31 


1 


July 29 


Emporia, well in eastern part 
of city.o 




E. Bartow 


0.0 








.0 


306 


76 


229 


.... 


2 


June 16 


Reading, well one-fourth 
mile north of Duck Creek. 6 




do 


1.2 


... 


... 




.0 


287 


121 


24 


..... 


S 


...do 


Reading, well east of city 




do 











n 


14'> 


?,H?. 


35 




4 


...do.... 


Reading, well near 142-mile 
Creek. 


35 


do 


2.5 








21 


215 


T. 


40 





a Peddled in city. b On high ground. 

m'pherson county. 

About 55 per cent of McPherson County is covered by the Equus 
beds, which occupy what is believed to be an old river channel that 
connected Arkansas and Smoky Hill rivers. These beds yield an 
abundance of satisfactory waters. Over the rest of the -county good, 
soft water is difficult to obtain, for, except in the northern part 
where there are irregular areas of Dakota sandstone, the character 
of the water is determined by Permian rocks, which generally yield 
hard waters. 

In Table 55 analyses 1, 3, 5, and 7 to 13 represent tests of waters 
from the Equus beds, and should be compared with analyses 2, 3, 5, 
and 6 and assays 1 to 4, Harvey County (Table 38), which are tests of 
waters from the same beds. Of the waters from the Equus beds 
in McPherson County, analyses ], 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 11 (Table 55) 
show calcic alkaline waters, analysis 9 shows a sodic calcic alkaline 
water, and analyses 12 and 13 show calcic sodic alkaline waters. Of 
the calcic alkaline waters analyses 1, 3, 7, 10, and 11 indicate waters 
of high temporary and considerable permanent hardness, analyses 
4 and 5 waters of high temporary and low permanent hardness, and 



McPHEESON COUNTY. 129 

analysis 8 shows a very satisfactory water of low temporary and low 
permanent hardness. A calcic saline water so highly mineralized 
as to be unfit for ordinary use is shown by analysis 6 and a calcic 
saline water so hard as to be unsatisfactory for use in steam boilers 
is shown by analysis 6. It is probable that neither of these waters 
comes from the Equus beds. The superiority of well waters from the 
Equus beds to well waters from the Permian deposits in McPherson 
and Harvey counties may be appreciated by comparing the waters 
from these beds with anah^sis 2 of McPherson County and analysis 1 
of Harvey County. 

The assays of samples from Marquette are interesting, because 
they show a peculiarity of the well waters in the city, namely, that 
those north of Smoky Hill River are free from iron, whereas those 
south of it contain so much iron as to be most troublesome to the 
householders. The cause of this difference in the well waters is not 
certainly known, but it may be that the waters of the wells north of 
the river come from the Equus beds, which do not appear to yield 
water of a high iron content, while the wells south of the river are 
supplied with water from the unconsolidated material at the edge of 
the river, which water often contains much iron, as tests of well 
waters from this material at Salina, Manhattan, Topeka, Lawrence, 
and Argentine show. 

77836°— wsp 273—11 9 



130 



QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



o 3 











CC 


r^ 








CC 





































00 








^ 










CC 
















■2 2 >S 








^ 


CO 






CC 










CO 


5 














^^11 








IN 














































































S 6 






























-et^ 














'■S'^'5 












































« c s 












































O C3 bjD 












































►> o 
















































CO 




C 


CO 








^ 


c^ 




>o 




>.-: 


CO 


02 irauo 







o ©^ 










CO 






OC 
















CO 00 ^ 




CM 


S.S6 










































































o^c- 






































io 




























c^ 
































C 


















^ 








S^ 




































t-- 








- ^;^ 












































1 ^^ 














(N 






















oi 






c 




kT 


t^ 




OC 


oc 


^ 


^ 










CO 


"^ O-rf 




1 




^ 




IT 


!r 






cs 




■^ 












CO ^c 




















'" 


















H 








































1 a> '^ 



























0- 















i-ii ^ 


















Oi 








^ 














oa oaO 


















cr 










p- 












CO 


.a SO 










































njK 










































^-^ 










































OJ . 


















C 










c 











sl5 




^_^ 






c^ 




c 


c: 




QC 




t-- 






r^ 


10 ^ oc 








t^ 










oc 


CC 








-* 








CO 03 CN 


































5 


T-H .-1 C^ 






^-^ 










^ 




























dium 

and 

otas- 

ium 

a+K). 








m 


35 ^ 




^ 




CM 


CC 




cr 




oc 




a cooc 










c^ 




C3 








Cv- 














" 


Th OICN 








ig f^"5 








2i 
































i . 
























~^ 


















cr 










c 


^ 


C 


c 




oc 






^ 


ira .-ICC 








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131 



















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Marquette, well of Chas. 

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T. 17S.,R. 5 W.i 
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T. 17S.,R. 6W. 
Marquette, well of H. A. 

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132 QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

MARION COUNTY. 

All of Marion County is underlain by Permian rocks, and in certain 
parts of it gypsum deposits are found; hard waters are therefore to 
be expected. 

All of the analyses (Table 56) show waters of high temporary hard- 
ness, and they all show waters of very great permanent hardness 
except analysis 4, which indicates a water of low permanent hardness. 
Waters of the calcic alkaline class are shown by analyses 1, 2, 4, 5, 
and 10. A calcic magnesic alkaline water is indicated by analysis 6, 
a calcic sahne water by analysis 3, a calcic sodic saline water by analy- 
sis 9, and calcic magnesic sahne waters are shown by analyses 7 and 8. 
The assays all show exceptionally hard waters. 



MARION COUNTY. 



133 



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134 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

MARSHALL COUNTY. 

Marshall County is underlain by Permian and Pennsylvanian rocks, 
from which hard waters must be expected. In areas covered by gla- 
cial drift, however, wells may obtain somewhat softer water. 

Analyses 1 and 2 (Table 57) show calcic magnesic alkaline waters; 
the former indicates a soft water and the latter one of considerable 
temporary hardness. Assays 2 and 3 indicate very hard waters. 
Assay 1, like analysis 1, is a test of the city water at Blue Rapids. 



MARSHALL COUNTY. 



135 



Total 
dis- 
solved 
solids. 








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136 QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

MEADE COUNTY. 

In Crooked Creek valley, from Meade to Wilburn, many flowing 
wells, 50 to 250 feet deep, obtain water from Tertiary and Quaternary 
deposits. The water is inucli used for irrigation, but its pressure is 
slight. The northwestern corner of Meade Count}^ is underlain by 
Dakota sandstone, which yields waters to wells of moderate depth. 
Underlying the entire county and appearing in the valleys to the 
southeast are "Red Beds." One boring at Meade, a little over 800 
feet deep, passed through 250 feet or more of Tertiary clay and sands 
and then Red Beds and gypsum to the bottom. No good water was 
obtained.^ 

The Meade artesian area is fully described on pages 40-43. The 
only complete analysis (Table 58) is of a well water in Meade. The 
analysis shows a soft calcic alkaline water and should be compared 
with analysis No. 2 (Table 13), Clark County, assays 1 to 23, 25, 27, 
28, and 29 (Table 58), Meade County, and also with the assays of 
wells in Haskell County (Table 39), for they are very much alike. 
The evidence that they furnish tends to substantiate Erasmus 
Haworth's opinion that the water of the flowing wells in Crooked 
Creek Valley is derived from the "underflow" that is slowly moving 
southeastward over the Cretaceous floor. 

The flowing wells in the Meade artesian area are wonderfully alike. 
The temperature taken with a thermometer was found to vary 
between 14.5° and 16° C. and that of most of the wells was between 
15.5° and 16° C. The clilorine content of the waters of these wells 
is remarkabl}^ constant, and in no case was the''S04 as great as 35 
parts per million. There is some variation in the amount of HCOg, 
though not much. The waters, of which assays 1 and 5 are tests, 
are peculiar in that they have a distinct odor of sulphureted hydro- 
gen. The two wells that yield these waters are in the northeast 
corner of the valley. W. W. Cockins, jr., states that the flow of the 
wells in the valley of Crooked Creek varies from almost nothing to 
80 gallons per minute, but that the average flow is about 12 gallons 
per minute, the flow of most of the wells being confined between 8 
and 15 gallons. Wells that flow 30 to 45 gallons a minute are not 
uncommon. Some of the wells that are artesian do not flow. Usually 
this is due to the fact that the mouths of the wells are higher than 
those of flowing wells near by, or to the choking of the wells by 
sand, but sometimes the reason why wells fail to flow is not apparent. 
The number of flowing wells in the vaUey is not known. Some 
estimate that there are 200 of them, while others are confident that 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 307. 



MEADE COUNTY, 



137 



there are over 300. In all of the flowing wells the water is soft, 
cool, and wholesome. "^ 

Assay 28 (Table 58) is a test of a shallow-well water in Meade and 
is believed to be representative of that water of which Haworth 
says : 

The whole of the artesian valley is supplied with the ordinary underground water, 
which may be found at from 5 to 15 feet below the surface. Its abundance is not 
known as no one cares to use it. It would seem that it is sharply distinguished from 
the deeper lying artesian water, as it has no apparent artesian properties. & 

The assay shows a very soft water very much like the artesian 
water. Assays 24 and 26 are tests of waters outside of the artesian 
area. They indicate very hard waters which are very high in chlo- 
rides. 

Assay 29 is a test of tlie famous Meade salt well. No analyses or 
assaj^s of the water of Meade County represent wells in the Dakota 
sandstone. 



Table 58. — Analysis and assays of 'underground waters from Meade County. 

[Parts per million.] 



















■ 




^ 






■d 


















c^3 




(-1 








No. 


Date. 


Source. 


0, 

si 
ft 


Analyst. 


o 


"5^ 
o 


Pi 

03 


aw 


o 
O 

CD 

e. 

o 


o 

ID 
+^ 
<53 

r! 

o 

g 


6 

a 
<a 
ft 
-A 


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o 


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Eg . 

— I'd 
o 








f-i 




KH 


a 


% 


-fi 


a 


n 


m 


U 


=^ 






ANALYSIS.. 


























1908. 


























1 


Sept. 


Meade, well 


45 


Chicago, Rock Island & Pa- 
cific Ry. 


cl.4 


49 


14 


9.G 


98 




28 


6.7 


208 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 


Depth 

(feet). 


Iron 

(Fe). 


Carbon- 
ate 
(CO3). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(PICO3). 


Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 


Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 


1 

? 


1907. 
Oct. 31 

...do 


ASSAYS. 

Fowler, NE. isec. 4, T. 30 S., R. 26 AV., 

flowing well of A. D. Walker. <i 
do.« 


140 

140 
• 65 

160 

175 

100 

120 


0.0 

.0 
.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 


0.0 

.0 
.0 

.0 

.8 

.0 

.0 


241 

236 
236 

207 

312 

197 
185 


Trace. 

Trace. 
Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 


10 

10 


3 

4 
5 
6 

7 


...do.... 
...do.... 
...do.... 
...do.... 
...do.... 


Wilburn, SE. J sec. 4, T. 30 S., R. 26 W., 

flowing well of A. D. Walker./ 
Meade, NE. \ sec. 12, T. 30 S.,R.28 W., 

flowing well of Frank Leach. 
Fowler, NW. -J sec. 23, T. 30 S., R. 26 W., 

well of M. M. Way. g 
Meade, NE. \ sec. 29, T. 30 S., R. 27 W., 

flowing well of J. J. Miller. '' 
Fowler, SW. Jsec. 29, T. 30 S., R. 26 W., 

flowing well of John Syms. «' 


15 
10 
4 
10 
10 



a The Meade artesian area is described by Erasmus Haworth in Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Su-- 
vey No. 6, 1897, pp. 48-56. 

6 Water-Supplv Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 6. 1897, p. 50. 

cSi02-|-Fe203+Al203. 

d 15° C. faint odor of H2S. 

« No odor of H2S. 

/ 14.5° C; the shallowest flowing well in the artesian valley. 

g This well smells s trongly of H2S and does not flow but others at a lower elevation on the place do. They 
smell faintly of H2S. 

A 15.8° C; well farthest northwest in artesian valley yielding a good flow. 

i The weakest flowing well in the artesian valley. 



138 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Table 58. — Analysis and assays of underground ivaters from Meade County — Contd. 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 


Depth 
(feet). 


Iron 
(Fe). 


Car- 
bonate 


Bicar- 
bonate 


Sul- 
phate 


Chlo- 
rine 








(CO3). 


(HCO3). 


(SO4). 


(CI). 




1907. 


ASSAYS— continued. 














8 


Oct. 31 


Fowler, SW. i sec. 32, T. 30 S., R. 27 W., 
flowing well of Charles Sourbier. a, 




0.0 


0.0 


185 


Trace. 


10 


9 


...do.... 


Meade, SW. isec. 33, T. 20 S., R. 27 W., 
flowing well of S. L. Sawyer, b 


125 


.0 


.0 


197 


Trace. 


10 


10 


...do.... 


Meade, NE. Jsec. 5,T. 31 S.,R. 27 W., 
flowing well of Benj. Cox. c 


125 


.0 


.0 


211 


Trace. 


10 


11 


...do.... 


Meade, NW. isec. 5, T. 31 S., R. 27 W., 
flowing well of Frank Maas. i 


130 


.0 


.0 


188 


Trace. 


10 


12 


Oct. 30 


Meade, SE. isec. 14, T.Sl S , R. 28 W., 
flowing well of G. B. Allen. « 


SO 


.0 


.0 


195 


Trace. 


10 


13 


...do.... 


Meade,SE.i sec.l4,T,31 S., R.28W., 
well of G. B.Allen./ 


400 


.0 


.0 


218 


Trace. 


15 


14 


Oct. 31 


Meade, NW. isec. 18, T. 31 S., R. 27 W., 
flowing well of John Shaw. 


160 


.0 


.0 


204 


Trace. 


10 


15 


Nov. 4 


Plains, NE. isec. 20, T. 31 S., R. 30 W., 
well of Jas. Graham, g 


128 


.5 


.0 


188 


Trace. 


15 


16 


Oct. 30 


Meade, SW. isec. 26, T. 31 S., R. 28 W. , 
flowing well of Mr. Hubbefl. 




.0 


.0 


198 


Trace. 


10 


17 


Oct. 31 


Meade, NE. isec. 27, T. 31 S., R. 27 W., 
flowing well of Doctor Oldham, a 


320 


.0 


.0 


198 


Trace. 


10 


18 


Nov. 2 


Meade, SW. isec. 12, T. 32 S., R. 28 W., 
flowing well of A. D. Walker. '' 


150 


.0 


.0 


180 


Trace. 


10 


19 


...do.... 


Meade, SW. isec. 17, T. 32 S., R. 28 W., 
Big Spring near Crooked L Ranch, a 




.0 


.0 


195 


Trace. 


10 


20 


...do.... 


Meade, NE. isec. 19, T. 32 S., R. 28 W., 
spring one-half mile west of Big 
Spring. 

Meade, SE. i sec. 19, T. 32 S., R. 28 W., 





.0 


.0 


211 


Trace. 


10 


21 


...do.... 




.0 


.0 


215 


Trace. 


10 






flowing well on Crooked L Ranch. 














22 


...do.... 


Me.ade, NW. isec. 21, T. 32 S., R. 28 W., 
flowing well in valley of Spring Creek 
on Crooked Creek, a 




.0 


.0 


204 


Trace. 


10 


23 


...do.... 


Meade, SW. i sec. 22, T. 32 S., R. 28 W., 
well on Crooked L Ranch. 




.0 


.0 


235 


Trace. 


15 


24 


...do.... 


Meade, NE. i sec. 34, T. 32 S., R. 28 W., 

dug well. 
Meade, NW. Jsec. 34, T. 32 S., R. 28 W., 




.0 


.0 


200 


197 


1,732 


25 


...do.... 




.0 


.0 


200 


Trace. 


15 






flowing well. 














2fi 


...do.... 


Meade, SE. i sec. 35, T. 32 S., R. 28 W., 
wefl. 


160 


10.0 


.0 


229 


78 


532 


27 


Nov. 3 


Meade, tap in city waterworks, 2 wells. . 


/ 184 
\ 190 


} •« 


■ .0 


191 


Trace. 


10 


28 


Nov. 2 


Meade, shallow well of John Wehrle, 
West Carthage Ave. 


60 


.0 


.0 


245 


Trace. 


10 


29 


...do.... 


Meade, SE. isec. 14, T. 32 S., R. 28 W., 
salt well. 




.0 


12 


32 


Trace. 


7,198 


30 


Nov. 4 


Plains, wefl of Frank M. Paul on SE. i 
sec. 19, T. SOS., R. 30 W.J 


168 


Tr. 


0.0 


185 


Trace. 


10 



a 16° C. 

6 15 °C.; the second flowing well sunk in the valley. 

c At the present time the well has become obstructed with sand and does not flow, but water is easily 
raised by a pump. This was the first flowing well in the artesian valley and was sunk in August, 18S7. 
(S. Doc. No. 41, pt. 2. appendix 26, 52d Cong., 1st sess., and S. Ex. Doc. No. 222, 51st Cong., 1st sess., pp. 
151 and 155.) 

d 15.5° C; well is at edge of road in front of house. 

« Weak flow. 

/ Artesian water entered at 45 feet; the well was sunk to 400 feet in an attempt to get a flow, but none 
was obtained. 

g Not in the artesian valley. 

^ 15.8° C. 

i Put down in 1907. 

MIAMI COUNTY. 

As Miami County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, the prospect 
of finding soft waters is not good, for the rocks of this series and those 
below it yield highly mineralized waters. C. J. Haffey, who has sunk 
many oil wells about Paola, stated in conversation that the first oil 
sand is reached at a depth of 280 to 370 feet, and that in the vicinity 
of Paola 160 feet of casing shuts out all shallow ground water. He 



MITCHELL COUNTY. 



139 



said, too, that 3 miles east of Paola the first water is met at a depth of 
65 to 80 feet and that 135 to 140 feet of casing are used to exclude 
it, while 4 miles southeast of the city 140 feet of casing cuts off all 
the surface water. Mr. Haffey reported salt water as being encoun- 
tered at a depth of 400 to 500 feet. It is commonly believed that in 
the oil region of Miami County many wells of moderate depth have 
been spoiled by salt water that has leaked out from the oil wells. 

No analyses are presented. Assays 6 and 7, Table 59, show very 
salty waters and the others hard ones. 

Table 59. — Assays of underground waters from Miami County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


1 


1905. 
June 22 


2 


...do 


3 


...do 


4 


...do 


5 


June 24 


6 


June 23 


7 


...do 


8 


...do 


9 


...do 


10 


...do 



Source. 



Depth 
(feet). 



Iron 

(Fe). 



Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 



Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 



Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



Osawatomie, Haskins's well, south 
side of Main Street 

Osawatomie, Mrs. Roberts's well, north 
side of Brown Avenue 

Osawatomie, Gates's well, north side of 
Brown Avenue (shallow) 

Osawatomie, spring at State Insane 
Hospital 

Paola, spring on Gold Street, 2J blocks 
north of public square 

Paola, Conine well, one-half mile north- 
west of city 

Paola, Nicholson well. If miles north- 
west of city a 

Paola, Thompson's well, 1 mile north- 
west of city 

Paola, Ringer's well, If miles north of 
city '.. . 

Paola, spring at edge of Bull Creek 
above Ten Mile Creek 



400 
35 

18 



0.0 
.0 



0.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 



284 
221 
157 
345 
341 
929 
642 
167 



91 

77 
46 
246 
68 


64 
43 
55 



127 

132 

Gl 

25 

35 

2,822 

5,183 

20 

15 

4.6 



a Water comes in at 130 feet, below which depth the well is closed. 



MITCHELL COUNTY. 



Mitchell County includes a portion of Solomon and Salt Creek 
valleys. The greater part of its area is occupied by the Benton 
shales, but to the east Solomon River has cut through these into the 
Dakota sandstone. A number of wells reach this sandstone and 
obtain satisfactory supplies but do not flow. At Asherville (?) a well 
sunk 638 feet obtained abundant very salty water which rose to 26 
feet below the surface. This well penetrated 49 feet of sand and clay^ 
3 feet of sand (Dakota ?), and thence to the bottom was in blue clay 
and sandstone. 

A well near Bluehill is reported to be 308 feet deep and to pass 
through Benton shales into Dakota sandstone. Good water was 
found, which at first rose to the top of the well and then settled down 
again. A boring made 2 miles northeast of Cawker, sunk to deter- 
mine the presence of coal, is said to be 467^ feet deep. Fresh water 
was reported at 460 feet, but it mixed with the salty water from the 



140 



QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



higher horizon (213 to 215^ feet) so that it was not utihzed. The 
water rose to within 227 feet of the surface. The salty water was 
undoubtedly from the saliferous shales which usually occur immedi- 
ately under the Benton shales ; the lower water was doubtless derived 
from the Dakota sandstone.^ 

The only analyses presented in Table 60 are of the waters of the 
famous Great Spirit Spring and of Waconda No. 2, both of which are 
described in volume 7, pages 197-206, of the Kansas University 
Geological Survey. The two assays show very hard waters. 

Table 60. — Analyses and assays of underground luaters from Mitchell County. 

[Parts per million.] 



No. 



Date. 



Source. 



1907. 
Sept. 4 

Sept. 5 



ANALYSES. 

Waconda, Great 
Spirit Spring 
(Waconda No. 1). 

Waconda, Great 
Spirit Spring 
(Waconda No. 2). 



Beloit, well of Beloit 
Steam Laundry. 

Gawker, well of J. W. 
Higgins south of 
city and 30 rods 
from South Fork 
of Solomon River. 



Analyst. 



E. H. S. Bailey 
and D. F. Mc- 

Farland.a 
E. H. S. Bailey 
and E. M.Rice.o 






6,308 



(Na) 5,589 
(K) 178 



0.0 386 
.0 356 



3,348 
3,236 



164 
39 



a Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 



b Al, 8.9. 



MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 

Montgomery County is underlain by the Pennsylvanian series, 
the rocks of which yield highly mineralized waters, as do those of 
the series below it. There is, therefore, poor prospect for soft waters. 
There are many oil and gas wells in the county. 

Analysis 1, Table 61, shows a very heavily mineralized sodic 
calcic magnesic saline water and analysis 2 a calcic alkaline water 
of very great temporary hardness. The assay is a test of a water 
high in sulphates, bicarbonates, and chlorides. 



1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, pp. 307-30S. 



MOEEIS COUNTY. 



141 



Table G1. — Analyses and assay of underground waters from Montgomery County. 

[Parts per million.] 





















1 _ 



























'ho 


0-^ 


Q 









No. 


Date. 


Source. 


4^ 
a. 


Analyst. 


g 


« 




g. 


03 21 





i 




d 











g 




C3 


f^ 


1 


1 


1 1 









.a 








ft 






pl 


S 


to 




^ 


(S 


ft 











© 




3 


o 


■3 


C3 





CS 


.s 


■3 


a 








fi 




m 


^ 





02 





PQ 


m 


a 






ANALYSES. 
























1 




Independ- 
e n c e - 
b r m - 
magnesium 
well.a 


1,100 


E. H.S. Baileyft.. 


20 


9 


2,762 


1,510 


(Na)23.468 
(K)106 


409 




240 


45,081 




























2 




Coffeyville, 
well of J. 


33 


do 


24 


9.5 


166 


36 


8.8 


662 




28 


14 
































Kloehr. 




























ASSAY. 


























1907. 


























1 


Mays 


Elk, well in 


ell 






.0 








.0 


307 


460 


146 






front of Ea- 




























gle drug 




























store. 

























a Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 7. 
b Br, 183; 1, 1.3. 

c 11 feet is the usual depth of wells in Elk A 26-foot well, a short distance from this one, was aban- 
doned because the water was so very salty. 

MORRIS COUNTY. 

All of Morris County, except the southeast corner, is underlain by 
the Permian series. The prospect for soft waters is, therefore, not 
good, for the rocks of this series and those beneath it afford hard 
waters. 

The analyses. Table 62, show calcic magnesic alkaline waters of 
great temporary hardness. Analysis 4 should be compared with 
the analyses of the well waters about Herington, as the water was 
furnished by a committee of citizens of that city who were searching 
for a water suitable for a public supply. The assays recorded in 
Table 62 are all tests of waters in the vicinity of Council Grove and 
show considerable variation in the constituents. Assays 1 and 2 
indicate waters of moderate temporary and marked permanent 
hardness, very high in chlorides. Assay 4 shows a water of high 
temporary and permanent hardness, very high in chlorides. Assay 6 
is a test of a water of great temporary hardness, low permanent hard- 
ness, and high in chlorides. Assays 3, 5, and 8 indicate waters of 
moderate temporary hardness, high permanent hardness, and low 
.chlorides. Assay 7 shows the only soft water in the group of assays. 



142 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Total 
dis- 
solved 
solids. 




T 


0; 


-t 






















10 

t- 10 00 t^ 00 ooa^ ■* Tj. ci 00 -J* 

»-.t-t.-l lOI^-^iOrH cc-^ 










10 
id 


















1 ^^ 


rJ4 cool »0 t^ i-H^COCOg g"^ 

6^ e^ 










OCMCOC^ltM (M^ 
to OOOOOt^i-l -3>-H 

-r T-H i-icM CO CM CO 10-1^ 


Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 


00 000 i 

. .. = j 


Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na+K). 


10 (N -^ lO 

CO cq 1-1 CO 


















Magne- 
sium 
(Mg). 


lo CO -*< en 

(M C^ Ol -Ji 


















03 S =3 


00 -1* CO t^ 
03 00 01 00 


















0^ 


ocoooooo 

iO oi (N CO 




CM 




•^ 


















a 
< 


■3 =« 

. 1 

>> 

M 


a 
c 


^ 1 

PC 












- ^ 
^ c 

1 

fC 
1 


c 
x: 




5-A 
§"1 




00 

CO CO CO 










00 »o 00 
CM -1* Ol 





™ c fi a ■ 

o3 03 3 

- s . i i g 

5 |5 ^ ^ "^ ft 

nil '^"i 1 

fi ft fl M C 


c 


cu P +^ 

" a ^ « 3 

s >. • " 

S o'S S "'32 "3 '3 
g^gSg^gg go| 

0000 


i< 


03 


00 

ft 02 


t~ 05 to 

.CM .CM .1-1 

§§= i-s SB'S 


c 


C 


c 


S-g -a 




d 

;5 


- 


CQ 


c 


-■* 


- 


CQ 


c 


rt 


IT 


«: 


t^ 


00 





t 
q 

-f 

o 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 143 

MORTON COUNTY. 

Morton County ^ lies in the extreme southwestern corner of Kansas, 
along the valley of Cimarron River. The entire county appears to be 
underlain by Dakota sandstone, which is deeply covered by the 
Tertiary deposits on the higher lands. Along the Cimarron River 
bottoms, south and southwest of Richfield, this sandstone yields 
flowing water in wells 90 to 105 feet deep, but the pressure is very 
slight and no flow is obtainable on the higher lands. Two wells 50 
feet apart were sunk at Richfield to the depths of 651 and 701 feet to 
obtain flowing water, but the flow obtained was from the ''Red 
Beds" and the water was of unsatisfactory quality. It is stated 
that the pressure was sufficient to raise the water 125 feet above the 
surface. 

The following record is given: 

Record of well at Richfield, Kans. 

Feet. 

Soil and Tertiary grit (reported as gypsum) 1-40 

Yellow clay and sand 40-52 

Sand 52-71 

Blue joint clay 71-72 

Dakota sandstone with great quantities of water which does not 

rise much 72-202 

Blue shale 202-251 

Hed sandstone with a flow of 6.3 gallons a minute at about 637 

feet : . . 251-701 

In the southern tier of counties, including Morton, Stevens, Seward, 
Meade, and Clark counties, the Cimarron River valleys have an aggre- 
gate area of about 250 square miles of unusually smooth, even land 
in which water in great quantities lies at a depth of 10 to 30 feet. A 
few wells have reached greater depths before obtaining water, but in 
such wells the water usually rises within 20 or 30 feet of the surface, 
so that this measurement represents the distance the water will have 
to be lifted in pumping. In the southwestern part of the State the 
Dakota water can be reached at shallow depths.^ 

William Easton Hutchinson, of Garden, writes that near the North 
and South Forks of Cimarron River the wells are very shallow, many 
of them being less than 10 or 15 feet deep. In the northern part of 
Morton County, as well as in part of the extreme western section, the 
depth to water is 100 feet or more, but in nearly all of Morton County 
good water can be reached at a depth of 45 feet. Two artesian wells 
were drilled within a half mile of Richfield in 1890 and continued to 
flow good streams for 10 years, when the flow ceased because of lack 
of proper attention to the wells. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 308. 

2 Abstracted from Report of the Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 1896 to the 
Legislature of Kansas, p. 103. 



144 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS, 



Neither water anal^^ses nor assays were made in Morton County. 

E. Dudley, mayor of Liberal, who has had wide experience as a 
well driller and who has been thoroughly conversant with south- 
eastern Kansas since early pioneer days, says that at Point of Rocks 
there are three flowing wells. The first of these is 8 miles east of 
the city ; the' second is in the city and is a strong alkali water, while 
the third is 12 miles west of Point of Rocks. Mr. Dudley says further 
that in Colorado, 6 to 12 miles west of the Colorado-Kansas State 
line, in the Cimarron bottoms, is a bed of gravel 7 to 12 feet thick 
that carries water in abundance. A 5-inch pump inserted 1 foot 
below the top of the gravel failed to lower the water level. 



NEMAHA COUNTY. 

Nemaha County is underlain by the Penns3^1vanian series whose 
rocks normally yield hard waters; possibly wells in the glacial drift 
may prove more satisfactory. 

Analysis 1, Table 63, shows a calcic magnesic alkaline water of 
high temporary and considerable permanent hardness, and analysis 
2 indicates a calcic sodic alkaline water of marked permanent hard- 
The assay denotes a water of considerable temporary hardness. 



ness. 



Table 63. — Analyses and assay of underground waters from Nemaha County. 

[Parts per million.] 





















, 






























B 




n 






3 


No. 


Date. 


Source. 




Analyst. 


o 




a 


3 




d 

Q 


o 
M 

03 


d 

CO 


o 


03 

o 1 








A 




^ 


f^ 


3 


s 


ai 

3 - 


o 


o 


c3 


.s 


5 a 








ft 







2 


O 


1^ 


m 


o 


03 
O 


3 
CO 


o 

3 
o 


o o 






ANALYSES. 
























j 




1908. 










- 
















( 


1 


Sept. 


Sabetha, well 50 feet 
from Chicago, Rock 
Island & Pacific 
Ry. tank. 


■160 


Chicago, Rock Is- 
land & Pacific 
Ry. 




ol6 


89 


39 


34 


208 




87 


12 


...'485 


9 




AVetmore, well 


44 


Missouri Pacific 
Ry. 


31 


2.9 


86 


16 


48 


139 




111 


24 


72 530 














ASSAY. 






























1907. 






























1 


.July 22 


Seneca, city water b _ . 


6; 






.0 








.0 


278 


Tr. 


20 

















c Si02-I-Fe203+Al203. 



b Tap in Hotel Gilford. 



NEOSHO COUNTY. 

As Neosho County is entirely underlain by Pennsylvanian rock, the 
prospect of finding soft water is poor. 

In Table 64 the only analysis is a test of a very hard laxative calcic 
sodic alkaline well water at Erie. Assays 8 and 11 are the only ones 
that indicate soft water. Assay 5 shows the hardest water of those 
tested in the county, both the temporary and permanent hardness 



NESS COUNTY. 



145 



being remarkably high. The temporary hardness of the water, of 
which 10 is an assay, is very great and the water is high in chlorides. 
Assay 2 indicates a water of low permanent and rather high temporary 
hardness. The other waters assayed are very hard indeed. 

Table 64. — Analysis and assays of underground waters from Neosho County. 

[Parts per million.] 





















^ 




^ 






2 
























n 






a 


No. 


Date. 


Source. 


1 


Analyst. 


O 


■a? 


1 

3 


i 


^14 


d 
a 

i 

a 
o 


a 
W 

03 

a 
o 


6 




o 








ft 
a) 

o 




s 


a 

o 

M 


o 

6 


03 


o 




03 


_ft 

02 


o 

S 
o 


> 






ANALYSIS. 




























1902. 




























1 


Nov. 7 


Erie, well 




Atchison, Topeka & 


18 


1 7 


1,W 


HI 


134 


947 




?57 


a") 


18 










Santa Fe Ry. 























No. 



Date. 




Analyst. 







^ 








o 






^-s 


CJ 






O 


w 


'^ 




r) 




<J 








m 


-j- 




03 


tt) 


p^ 


a 




c8 




o 




.1^ 


a 
o 


03 


g 


a 


ft 


u 


FQ 


m 


0.0 


0.0 


177 


42 


.0 


.0 


321 


'I'r. 


.0 


.0 


353 


121 


.0 


.0 


396 


208 


.0 


.0 


C16 




12.0 


.0 


403 


328 


.0 


.0 


363 


106 


.0 


.0 


25.'i 


Tt. 


4.0 


.0 


310 


113 


.0 


.0 


763 


Tr. 


.0 


.0 


310 


Tr. 



1905. 
July 22 
July 21 

....do.... 

July 19 

1907. 
Apr. 27 

1905. 
July 19 

....do.... 
....do.... 
July 22 
....do.... 
....do.... 



Chanute, public well 

Chanute, well at Kansas & Texas Oil Co. 

pumping station, 4 miles north of city. 
Chanute, well 3 miles south and 1 mile east of 

city. 
Erie, well in southeastern city limits 



70. 
25- 30 . 



Erie, Great North Western Oil Co. « . 



Erie, well at Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 
Ry. depot. 

St. Paul, public well 

St. Paul, upland well 3 miles north of city. . . 
Shaw, well 3 miles north and 1 west of city. . 

Shaw, well 1 mile east of city 

Shaw, spring in pasture southeast of city '' . . . 



30 E. Bartow.. 
12 do 



.do 

.do 



E. Bartow. . 



35. 

25!. 

75-100' . 

62i. 



..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 

..do 



34 
6.5 
12 



a Well put down in July, 1906. SO^ much greater than 620. Sample taken from hydrant. 
b Sold m city. 

NESS COUNTY. 



The central, southern, and eastern sections of Ness County are 
underlain by Benton shales. To the north and west the Benton 
passes beneath the edge of the Niobrara formation, which is overlain 
on the higher ridges by Tertiary grit. Probably the Dakota sand- 
stone is at the surface, or a very short distance below, on Pawnee 
Fork in the southeastern part of the county, and it underlies a region 
northward at depths which gradually increase to slightly over 500 
feet on the divide between the head of Walnut Creek and Smoky Hill 
77836°— wsp 273—11 10 



146 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

River. Tho town of Ransom on this ridge has a well 653 feet deep, 
which passes into Dakota sandstone at 580 feet and obtains a plentiful 
supply of soft water, rising to within 60 feet of the surface. The rock 
is described as a soft, porous brown sandstone overlain by several 
hundred feet of the blue shale of the Benton formation. 

Ten miles southwest of Ness, in the northwest corner of T. 20, R. 24, 
a well 450 feet deep reached Dakota sandstone and obtained a satis- 
factory supply of soft water. 

Twelve miles southwest of Ness, in the southwest corner of T. 19, 
R. 25, a well 437 feet deep passed through shale and clay into the 
Dakota sandstone at 370 feet and obtained a satisfactory water 
supply. At Riverside, 12 miles southeast of Ness, a well 350 feet 
deep obtains water from the Dakota sandstone. A well 6 miles 
southwest of Danby is 385 feet deep and passes through 330 feet of 
shale into sand rock, which yields water rising within 110 feet of the 
surface. A well 10 miles southwest of Ness (sec. 11, T. 20, R. 24) 
has a depth of 300 feet. 

These representative wells indicate the general relations of the 
Dakota sandstone in this county. The occurrence of the water is 
general and its quality good, but no flows are obtainable. The under- 
lying ''Red Beds" appear not to have been reached and, although the 
water which they contain may be expected to be under considerable 
pressure, its quality usually is bad.^ 

In the vicinity of Ness City different wells carried to a depth of from 250 to 300 feet 
have obtained water from the Dakota sandstone. No well has yet been drilled in Ness 
County, which obtained a flow at the surface, but in all of them the water would rise to 
within 35 to 60 feet of the surface so that it could easily be pumped.^ 

In some parts of the county other waters than those drawn from 
the Dakota sandstone are available. 

Along Walnut Creek, in Ness County, the wide valley is filled with Tertiary mate- 
rials, beneath which there seems to be great quantities of water. In this valley the 
water is continuous eastward throughout its entire length. As the Tertiary is passed, 
other acciimulations of loose material occur, so that the proper conditions obtain 
throughout the entire distance for the accumulation and maintenance of a strong body 
of water. In passing laterally either north or south from Ness City we come upon the 
Cretaceous formations. Southward there is but little Tertiary within many miles, 
and a corresponding lack of water, excepting as it is drawn from the Dakota sandstone 
over 200 feet below. Northward the high bluffs are composed of the Niobrara chalk, 
on top of which is a mantle of Tertiary which soon reaches sufficient thickness to 
become a great water-bearing formation. As a result there is a belt of Tertiary material 
between Walnut Creek and Smoky Hill Pviver throughout the whole width of Ness 
County, and even beyond, which has large quantities of water within easy reach of 
the surface. 



» Description abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, pp. 309-310. 

2 Kept. Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 1896 to the Legislature of Kansas, p. 



NESS COUNTY. 147 

Along the Missouri Pacific Railway from Pendennis to Utica, Ransom, and Brownell 
there is an eastern extension of the Tertiary, which is the level upland between the 
headwaters of the streams which flow into the Walnut to the south and the short canyon 
which flows into Smoky Hill River. Near the borders of this area the Tertiary is 
comparatively thin, but in the central portion of it the wells are from 65 to 85 feet deep, 
extending into the sheet water of the underflow, the exact thickness of the Tertiary 
not being determinable since the wells are dug no deeper than is required to obtain 
an abundant supply of water. ^ 

The only analyses available are tests of two waters from shallow 
wells in the Tertiary in the northeastern part of the county. Calcic 
alkahne waters are indicated by analyses 1 and 2, Table 65, analysis 
1 showing a water of moderate and analysis 2 one of high temporary 
hardness. 

Assays 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are all tests of wells that draw their 
water from the Dakota sandstone. From the high chlorides and 
sulphates it is evident that these wells tap the saliferous and gypsif- 
erous shales of the Dakota sandstone. It is probable that the wells 
would be improved by casing out this highly mineralized water and 
sinking them deeper into the sandstone. Assays 2 and 4, Table 65, 
are tests of the waters of shallow wells; assay 2 shows a very hard 
water and assay 3 the softest' well water assayed in the county. 

I Rept. Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 1896 to the Legislature of Kansas, pp. 
86, 111. 



148 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



O 



'^ 



I 







-^ 


r^ 
























-" 'dm 




Cs -1< 
























^ w ?■« 




(NTO 
























l^lf 
















































































S 6 




•HO 


























t^ 
























> S 




























A "u ^ 




toco 


ocq ^0 


(M 


-^ . ^ cs 


3.So 








10 


t^ •—! Oi 




oioo 


<M0O <M 


M 




o "-^ 










^' 


j,S^ 




g?J 


00 CC 


in 


s s _ s 


3=20 






— 1 ira (M 


(M 


CM tM :^ M 


■^ftS 












1 IK'S 








(M ira 02 00 






CO >o (M b- 


SatsO 








TtH ^ (N 






01 tH 








(M(M . (NCC 








.2 GO 
















caJW 
































-2'-^ 






00 





0000 


ra aO 




2§ 


s 






O oo 












.Q — 












, ^ 




CDIO 
























■d-d "5 




.-i C-) 














































































i^ • 




rtlO 
























lis 




"" 
























§"- 




























o|^ 


























il 




■-H OC 


°.^ ^ 


c: 





^ ^ ° ^ 






H ^ 




^ e 


t-i^-- 












cs'S 




>o^ 
























.ao 
























































ig. 
































>. 




























« 
























^j 




<§ 
























>. 




03 
























"3 




Ph 
























CI 




























^ 




























43^ 




OC 


100 ooc 





in t^ 






Oi c^ 


05 10 cc r 




00 »o 


p.-£ 






<N (M 


^ 


00 CO (M CO 


« s 










e 


• R^ 






















J_^ 


. 


„ » ^ . 












C3 ' 




t^ CO 














i 


^ i i "" 












-s ° 
















$ -e 




fd > ^ ^; 

M !> M 










a 


- 1 


p4 










C i 


- 


- ^ - "S 










lJL — • ■— ' 




fc-i 03 ^ 


o 


B 

►J 






<< .far: . .a: 




» 1^ ~ -5 • 
a c ■^^ 




■< 


s- 




>" 






■3 a 


0;SS'S=c 


"opi 


o« ooi'sci occ 






-T^ 


=3^ 3=3 = 


©cc 


gcd'gaJ'aiM'S'^ 






2 t= 




^00 










<u 0!.^ « a 


ie-' 


OJC" Q^H OJ^ "DIM 






^;S!; Z,i2, 


2; 


^ ^ ;z; ^ 










ocn ! 


-t^ 





00 


















» 












^ 




03 








2SS ^-g 


id 
1-5 


R : •? R 








OQ ; 


d 




.-^<^ 


i-IC^ MtJ 


10 


CO t^ 00 Oi 


^ 




























1 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



149 



NORTON COUNTY. 

Norton County comprises portions of the valleys of Sappa and 
Prairie Dog creeks and of the North Fork of Solomon River and the 
intervening divides. Apparently its entire area is underlain by the 
Niobrara chalk (which appears in the deeper wells), the intervening 
divides being covered with Tertiary deposits. The formations all 
appear to rise gradually to the west on a low anticline, whose summit 
extends north and south along the western line of the county. In 
the eastern part of the county the Dakota sandstone is probably 
about 750 feet below the surface in the valleys and 150 feet deeper 
on the divides. In the valleys in the western portion of the county 
it hes about 900 feet deep and on the divides 200 feet deeper. 

No deep borings have been reported from this county, but the 
results of the deep boring at Jennings and Kanona, in the next 
county west, indicate that the Dakota sandstone contains a large 
volume of water under moderate head which may possibly afford a 
flow in the deeper valleys.^ 

All the analyses and assays presented in Table 66 represent tests 
of shallow wells in the valley of Prairie Dog Creek. A wide dis- 
crepancy is exhibited by the analysis and assays of the city water of 
Norton, for, according to the former, the permanent hardness is 
marked, whereas the latter shows it to be insignificant. No expla- 
nation is offered as to the reason for the difference between the 
analysis and assay, but perhaps one might be found if the conditions 
under which the samples were taken were investigated. The other 
tests show waters of high temporary and slight permanent hardness. 

Table 66. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Norton County. 

[Parts per million.] 























*fc,. 
























C3 










■o 
















biii 


si 

.2.3 


O 


o 
o 


^ 




1 

T) 


No. 


Date. 


Source. 




Analyst. 


5- 




6 


a 

1 
a 
o 


a 


d 


5 

ID 

a 


> 

2 








ft 




a 
g 


03 
O 


1 


o 
02 


a 


03 
O 

S 


ft 

3 
02 


o 

o 


o 
in 






ANALYSES. 


























1909. 


























1 




Norton, city water, 
4 wells. 


35-60 


Chicago, Burling- 
ton & Quincy 


6 48 


169 


28 


34 


250 




13] 


40 




































R. R. 




















2 


Sept. 


Norton, well 


6 


Cliicago, Rock Is- 


6 7.9 


89 


18 


15 


164 




37 


15 


347 










land & Pacific 




























Ry. 
























ASSAYS. 


























1907. 


























1 


Oct. 6 


Norton, city water- 
works well, 1,400 


35 




.0 








.0 


472 


Tr. 


20 




















feet from Prairie 




























Dog Creek. 
























2 


...do 


Norton, city water- 
works well at edge 


61 




1.0 








.0 


386 


Tr. 


15 




















of Prairie Dog Creek. 


























...do 


do 


43 




1.0 








.0 


369 


Tr. 


15 





















a Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 310. 
bSlOj-t-FesOs+AlsOs. 



150 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



OSAGE COUNTY. 

Osage County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, which usually 
yield highly mineralized waters. 

Both the analysis and assays in Table 67 show very hard waters. 
The analysis indicates a water of the calcic magnesic saline class. 
The softest water tested is that of the public well in Quenemo. 
Assay 4 exliibits the most highly minerahzed water in the group of 
assays, for it carries much greater amounts of bicarbonates and 
chlorides than are carried by the other waters, and it is also very 
high in sulphates. 

Table 67. — Analysis and assays of underground waters from Osage County. 
[Parts per million.] 





















r^, 
































n 






No. 


Date. 


Source. 


"£ 
^ 


Analyst. 


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3 




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u 






ANALYSIS. 


























1902. 


























1 


Nov. 7 


Burlingame, well.. 




Atchison, Topeka & 
Santa Fe Ry. 


22 


23 


97 


37 


20 


69 




26b 


s;^ 











No. 



Date. 



,^ 



Source. 



Analyst. 







^ 








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347 


492 


2.5 


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367 




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318 


115 


.5 


Tr. 


695 


222 


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.0 


347 


68 


2.5 


.0 


434 


157 



1905. 
June 13 



...do 

June 19 



June 14 

June 20 
...do..... 



ASSAYS. 

Burlingame, well at laundry on 
Main Street. . 

Burlingame, well of Martin Lund. . . 

Melvern, public well near the cream- 
ery. 

Osage, city well on south side of 
Market Street west of Fourth 
Street. 

Quenemo, public well at Third and 
Maple Streets. 

Quenemo, well at sanitarium of Dr. 
O. Robertson. 



E. Bartow.. 



E. Bartow. 
....do 



158 



204 
138 



•30 
66 



OSBORNE COUNTY. 

Osborne County lies mainly on the Benton shale, which passes under 
the Niobrara chalk to the west, the beds dipping very gently to the 
north. The depth to the Dakota sandstone in this county ranges 
from a very few feet in its southeast corner to about 500 feet on the 
divides in the extreme western and northwestern sections. A number 
of borings have been made, of which some appear to have reached 



OSBORNE COUNTY. 151 

the Dakota sandstone and to have found satisfactory water, while a 
number of others have not been quite deep enough and have been 
discontinued on encountering salt water, apparently in the shales 
underlying the Benton. A well of this character at Osborne, 301 feet 
deep, found very salty water, which rose to within 30 feet of the 
surface. The well passed entirely through shale, and no sandstone 
is reported. A well 9 miles south by east from Osborne (NW. | sec. 
3, T. 8 S., R. 12 W.), 360 feet deep, found a large volume of salty 
water, which rises to within 45 feet of the surface. On Solomon 
River, 6 miles northeast of Osborne (NE. i sec. 14, T. 6 S., R. 12 W.), a 
well 315 feet deep, passed through blue shale and obtained a large 
volume of salty water which comes to the surface, and, it is claimed, 
rose several feet above it when the well was first opened. 

These wells indicate that an extensive stratum of water-bearing 
material lies at the base of the Benton shale, yielding water too salty 
for use. Doubtless wells bored through this horizon into the deeper 
beds of the Dakota sandstone would obtain satisfactory water for 
pump wells. ^ 

Analysis 1 (Table 68) is a test of a soft water from the valley of 
South Fork of Solomon River, and analysis 2 of a hard one in the 
valley of the North Fork, Assays 1, 3, and 4 denote waters of high 
temporary and low permanent hardness, and assays 2 and 5 indicate 
waters of high permanent and temporary hardness. 

1 Description abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 310. 



152 



QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



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1 



QUALITY OF THE. WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



153 



OTTAWA COUNTY. 

Ottawa County, which comprises a portion of the lower valley of 
Solomon River, is underlain chiefly by Dakota sandstone, but in the 
deeper valleys in the southern portion of the county the underlying 
Permian shales are exposed. Many wells in this county penetrate 
the sandstone to depths ranging from 20 to 150 feet, and generally 
obtain satisfactory water supplies. Deeper wells would pass into 
the salt-bearing shales which underlie the Dakota sandstone and which 
do not contain good water.^ 

The waters of Ottawa County are very inadequately represented by 
a single assay (Table 69), that of the wells of the city waterworks at 
the edge of Solomon River. The water has moderate temporary and 
decided permanent hardness. 

Table 69. — Assay of underground water from Ottawa County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 


Depth 
(feet). 


Iron 
(Fe). 


Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCOs). 


Sul- 
pftaCe 
(SO4). 


Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 


1 


1907. 
Sept 2 


Minneapolis, city waterworks wells 
and galleries; water derived from 


57 


0.0 


0.0 


272 


44 


29 









PAWNEE COUNTY. 

Pawnee County embraces a portion of the valleys of Arkansas 
River and Pawnee Fork. All the lower lands are underlain by 
Dakota sandstone, but the ridge in the northern portion of the county 
is capped by a thin bed of Benton shales. Along the river there are 
extensive alluvial deposits, and to the south are sand dunes and Ter- 
tiary beds. Many shallow wells obtain from the Dakota sandstone 
water which rises to within a few feet of the surface. At Larned is a 
well 743 feet deep, from which there is a flow of 250 gallons per 
minute of very saline water. It is reported that fresh water was 
found in the Dakota sandstone near the surface, a slightly saline flow 
at 430 feet, and a strong brine under a pressure of 23^ pounds at 
743 feet.i 

According to George I. Adams,^ the valleys of Pawnee Creek and 
its tributaries are filled with fluviatile materials which form an impor- 
tant source of water supply. The value of this aquifer depends on its 
depth, for along the main stream and in the broader valleys, where 
the material is thick, the water is never failing, but elsewhere the 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p 311. 

2 Kept. Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 18S6 to the Legislature of Kansas, 
pp 104-107. 



154 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

aquifer is thin and can not be so confidently relied on. In the eastern 
portion of the Pawnee bottoms, including the area drained by Saw- 
mill Creek, the thickness of the fluviatile deposits is about 40 feet. 

Analysis 2 (Table 70) shows the composition of the flowing salt 
well near the mouth of Pawnee Creek, and assay 5 is a test of the 
same water. The chlorine figure of the assay is lower than that of the 
analysis, which may be due to the fact that since the analysis was 
made the casing of the well has been so corroded that an opportunity 
for fresh waters to enter the well and dilute the chlorides now exists. 
Analysis 9 shows that the city water of Larned may be classed as a 
calcic sodic saline water; it is hard and has a laxative effect on those 
unaccustomed to its use. . The low chlorides make it apparent that 
the water is unaffected by that of the salt well. Analyses 3, 7, 11, 
and 12 indicate waters contaminated by leakage from the salt well. 
Analysis 5 shows a sodic saline water. Analyses 4, 10, 14, and 15 are 
tests of sodic calcic saline waters. These waters it is evident are 
removed from the influence of the salt well. Analyses 6 and 8 show 
calcic sodic saline waters. Analysis 1 shows a calcic magnesic alka- 
line water, and analysis 16 a calcic sodic alkaline water. 

Assay 1 of Table 70 represents a test of the city water at Larned 
and is in accord with analysis 9. Assay 2 is a test of the water of a 
shallow well in the valley of Pawnee Creek at a point considerably 
above the flowing salt well. The water is low in • carbonates and 
chlorides, but high in sulphates, though it carries much lower sul- 
phates than are carried by the city water or water of the 25-foot well 
of the C. W. Smith Electric Light & Ice Co. This 25-foot well (assay 
3) and the deep well of the company (assay 4) are both injured by the 
salt well. 



PAWNEE COUlSrTY. 



155 













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156 



QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 







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1 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 157 

PHILLIPS COUNTY. 

Phillips County lies near the eastern margin of the High Plains, 
extending from the valley of Prairie Dog Creek southward to and 
beyond North Fork of Solomon River. The Niobrara formation is 
extensively exposed in the deeper valleys, and on the higher lands 
is covered by the late Tertiary sands and grits of the High Plains. 
The Niobrara is 50 to 200 feet thick in this county and is underlain 
by the Benton formation 400 feet thick, which, in turn, is underlain 
by the Dakota sandstone. The formations dip gently to the north- 
east, the Dakota sandstone ranging in depth from 500 feet in Solo- 
mon Valley at the eastern margin of the county to 850 feet in the 
higher lands to the north and west. The sandstone appears to have 
been reached at Kirwin, at a depth of 430 feet, by a well which affords 
a flow, but as the water is from the uppermost beds, or the beds at 
the base of the Benton, it is too highly mineralized to be of use. A 
well in Beaver Township, 6 miles south of Cactus, was bored to a 
depth of 480 feet and found in blue shale a small supply of water 
which rises within 50 feet of the surface. A few miles northwest of 
Phillipsburg a similar well is 430 feet deep, and a well in section 21, 
near Stuttgart, is 398 feet deep. These three wells were, of course, 
not sufficiently deep to reach the Dakota sandstone. 

In 1903 a deep boring was put down 4^ miles northeast of Long 
Island, in search of oil or gas. At a depth of 650 feet the top of a 
stratum reported as "hard rock" (probably the Dakota sandstone) 
was reached. From 50 to 650 feet the boring was in "shale" of the 
Niobrara and Benton formations, the chalk rock and limestone not 
being specially recognized. As the altitude of this boring is about 
2,050 feet, the altitude of the top of the supposed Dakota sandstone 
is 1,400 feet.i 

Erasmus Haworth ^ states that as a number of small areas of Cre- 
taceous rocks are exposed to the surface, the location of wells in the 
Tertiary has to be judiciously done but that satisfactory supplies are 
generally obtained wherever the Tertiary mantle is not too thin. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 312. 

2 Rept. Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 1896 to tlie Legislature of Kansas, p. 99. 



158 QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Analysis 1, Table 71, shows a soclic calcic alkaline water. Analy- 
sis 2 indicates a calcic alkaline water of considerable temporary hard- 
ness, and analysis 5 a water of the same class that is soft. Analyses 
3 and 4 denote calcic alkaline saline waters of low temporary and 
marked permanent hardness. Assays 1, 4, 5, and 6 indicate waters 
of high temporary and considerable permanent hardness. Assay 2 
is a very incomplete test of the water of a deep well which is worthy 
of further study. Assay 3 shows a highly mineralized water that is 
probably derived from the gypsiferous and saliferous shales of the 
Dakota. The well is located on the bluffs south of and 100 feet 
above Kirwin. The well is cased with 438 feet of 5f-inch steel tubing 
and 76 feet of 4J-inch kalameined pipe. The well, which at times 
exhibits a slight flow but usually does not, was put down for stock, 
but the water proved too salty for their use. 



PHILLIPS COUNTY. 



159 



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1 



160 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY. 

Pottawatomie County is underlain by Pennsylvanian series and, in 
the northwest corner, by an area of Permian beds. The prospect for 
soft waters is therefore not good imless satisfactory wells should be 
developed in glacial deposits. 

The only waters tested are from wells in the Kansas River valley, 
so that little is actually known about the ground waters of the county. 
Both the assay and the analysis in Table 72 represent tests of shallow 
well waters at Wamego and indicate that the waters have decided 
permanent and moderate temporary hardness; the chlorides in the 
two waters are rather liigh. 

Table 72. — Analysis and assay of underground waters from Pottawatomie County. 

[Parts per million.] 





















^ 




o 
























fcjo 


o 

CO 


o 


o 


-; 






No. 


Date. 


Source. 


=2 
si 

Q 


Analyst. 


o 

O 


a 

O 


03 
O 

S 
.3 

o 
el 

O 


a 

a 

03 


i 

a 

u 

o 


i-t 
O 
S 


J 

i 

xi 
ft 
"a 
m 


3 

i 

o 

o 


2 

"o 

o 

Eh 






ANALYSIS. 














1908. 




























1 


Mar. 5 
1907. 


AVamego, 2 wells 

ASSAY. 


57 


Union Pacific R.R. 


23 


0.8 


97 


13 


86 


110 




156 


95 


581 


1 


June 24 


Wamego, city water, 4 
wells. 


50 






n 








.0 


292 


157 


100 





















PRATT COUNTY. 

Pratt County is situated in south-central Kansas on the High 
Plains, between Cimarron and Arkansas rivers. Its surface is cov- 
ered by Tertiary deposits from 50 to 200 feet thick, and its principal 
water supphes are obtained from coarser sands and gravels at the 
base of these deposits. The next underlying formation is the Dakota 
sandstone, which thins out to the south and gives place to ' ' Red Beds," 
which lie at no great depth in the southeast corner of the county. 

The only deep well reported in this county — that at Pratt — is 800 
feet deep. Salt was found from 600 feet down. The salt-bearing 
beds carried some water that rose within 15 feet of the surface. 
Judging from the experience of the deep well at Anthony, in the 
adjoining county, the salt-bearing beds are very thick. The under- 
lying limestones are probably not to be reached at a depth of less 
than 2,500 feet, and possibly much more. Whether these limestones 
would yield satisfactory water is also uncertain.^ 

Analyses 2, 3, and 5, Table 73, show soft calcic alkaline waters. 
Analysis 1 is a test of a soft calcic sodic alkaline water, and analysis 
4 of a hard calcic saline water. The three water assays indicate soft 
waters. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 312. 



PEATT COUNTY. 



161 



Total 
dis- 
solved 
solids. 




CTi 




1 












Vola- 
tile and 
organ- 
ic. 


















^ LO O --' (M -t* O O 
■^ CO ca rr r-^ Ci (M CO 


g5 




















1 '^^ 


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03 oSO 












lO CI 1-H 

00 1^ o 

T-H T-H 1-H 


a oo 


o o 
CT) CO lo :^ lo 

1^ t~ 00 02 C33, 


o 


Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na-fK). 


CI 00 b- ^." 1-H 








Magne- 
sium 
(Mg). 


CO o 


CO U3 










00 ^ 00 ^ t- 

CO >0 lO ^ lO 








o <o 


r-H 00 
B 




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■So 

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02 








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77836°— wsp 273—11- 



-11 



162 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

RAWLINS COUNTY. 

Rawlins County lies on the High Plains and is traversed by the 
valleys of Beaver and Sappa creeks. The entire area appears to be 
covered by Tertiary beds, except in the .bottoms of some valleys, 
where the underlying Pierre shale is revealed. The Pierre formation 
is several hundred feet thick, the State well at McDonald having 
penetrated it for 213 feet without reaching its base. The underMng 
Niobrara formation and the Benton group have a thickness of about 
900 feet. The Dakota sandstone is at an altitude of 850 to 1,150 
feet above sea level. It dips gently to the northwest, and should 
therefore be expected at a depth of 1,600 feet in the southeast corner 
of the county and at 2,400 feet on the higher lands of the western 
tier of townships. Judging from the experience of the wells in the 
adjoining county — Decatur — the formation contains water, but not 
under sufficient head to yield a flow even in the deeper valleys.^ 

Still farther west in Decatur and Rawlins counties the Cretaceous deposits are rela- 
tively thick and the wells are correspondingly deep, but in almost every case the 
supply of water is abundant and the quality good. Some of the tributaries of the 
Republican in Rawlins County have cut their channels downward through the Ter- 
tiary, and for some distance into the Cretaceous, giving areas where the water supply 
is deficient. But while this result has been produced, another one exceedingly 
advantageous has also been brought about. The streams cutting through the Tertiary 
to the Cretaceous floor have made it possible for springs to exist. It is by no means 
uncommon in Rawlins and Cheyenne counties, particularly in the latter, to find 
various valleys along the principal tributaries of the Republican which are well 
watered the year round without any artificial application. The valleys have been 
corroded to the base of the Tertiary and an outlet to the general body of underground' 
water has been produced, so that constant seepage is in progress, forming pools of 
living water here and there along the streams, and frequently saturating the soil of 
the valleys to so great an extent that even in dry seasons further application of water 
is not desirable.^ 

Both the analyses and assays presented in Table 74 represent tests 
of waters in the valley of Beaver Creek. The assays should be com- 
pared with assay 1, Decatur County (Table 20). Analysis 1 denotes 
a calcic magnesic alkaline water, analysis 2 shows calcic sodic alkaline 
water, and analysis 3 a sodic calcic alkaline water. Of these analyses 
Nos. 1 and 2 show waters of high temporary and noticeable per- 
manent hardness; analysis 3 indicates a soft water. The assays 
represent waters of liigh temporary and permanent hardness. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 313. 

2 Kept. Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 1896 to the Legislature of Kansas 
p. 99. 



RENO COUNTY, 



163 



Table 74. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Rawlins County. 

[Parts per million.] 













































+-> . 




n 
























d 




^ 




No. 


Date. 


Source. 


^ 


Analyst. 




03 
O 




o 


01 


M 


O 












i 


6 

o 


E3 


Bg 


1 

o 


c 

o 




05 

a 
a 
3 








" 






O 


'M 


M 


O 


w 


CO 


O 




1909. 


ANALYSES. 






















1 




Blakeman, well 


50 


Chicago, Burlington 
& Quincy R. R. 


a 62 


133 


43 


76 


321 




su 


40 








? 






20 
210 


.. do 


am 
<j89 


121 
59 


25 
17 


99 

74 


310 
1S2 




54 
46 


33 


S 




McDonald, well 

ASSAYS. 


....do 


19 












1907. 
























1 


Oct. 2 


Atwood, city water- 
works, 3 wells. 


32-36 




.0 








.0 


323 


66 


•* 














2 


...do.... 


Atwood, public well at 






.0 








( 


3'^:- 


I9.S 


36 






Fourth and State 


1 






















Streets. 


i 








i 









aSi024-Fe203+Al203. 



RENO COUNTY. 



The northeastern part of Reno County and a considerable area in 
the southern part are underlain by Permian beds. Except for an area 
in the northwestern part, where the Dakota sandstone is the under- 
lying formation, the rest of the county is covered with Tertiary 
deposits. 

Analyses 1, 2, 13, 14, 15, and 16 (Table 75) represent tests of waters 
from wells in the drainage basin of North Fork of Ninnescah River. 
All of these waters, except that from the well at Sjdvia, are high in 
chlorides and it may be that this is characteristic of wells in the basin 
of the North Fork. Those waters of which analyses 1, 2, and 13 
are tests are more highly mineralized than those whose quality is 
indicated by analyses 14, 15, and 16. Analysis 12 shows a water 
high in sodium and chlorides, wliich perhaps come from the solution 
of common salt, for there were salt works operated at Nickerson from 
1888 to 1891. The rest of the group of analyses are tests of shallow 
well waters in Hutchinson. The high calcium, sulphates, and chlo- 
rides seem to point to the fact that the salt and possibly ice industries 
have contaminated this class of wells. This seems particularly evi- 
dent in the waters whose quality is indicated by analyses 4, 8, and 11. 
Analyses 3, 6, and 10 give some evidence that the waters of which 
they are tests are not unaffected by the operations of these manu- 
factures. Analyses 7 and 9 show the composition of waters that 
probably approach the normal for the region. 



164 QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

The assays suggest the same inference as to the contamination of 
the shallow wells bv the salt and possibly the ice industries. The 
wells of which 1 and 2 are assays are in the northern part of Hutch- 
inson away from the influence of the wastage of the salt and ice 
factories, whereas the other wells are in the southern part of the city 
and do not escape it. The points in Cow Creek are below salt works; 
the Dairy Company well is not far from them and the two other 
wells are in the southeastern part of the city near Arkansas River, 
toward which the subsurface drainage makes. 



RENO COUNTY, 



165 















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166 



QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



— 'O m 




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1 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



167 



REPUBLIC COUNTY. 

Republic County, wliich comprises a portion of Republican Valley 
and the highlands eastward, is mainly on the eastern edge of the 
Benton shales, with the Dakota sandstone exposed in Republican 
Valley. The formations are nearly level or dip very gently to the 
northwest. 

A number of wells have been bored through the Benton shales into 
the Dakota sandstone, and others are sunk in the sandstone itself, 
most of these wells obtaining satisfactory water. At Belleville a 
city supply is obtained from wells 155 feet deep, sunk through Benton 
shales into Dakota sandstone; the wells yield 25 gallons a minute. 
The only deep boring reported in the county, that at Scandia, reached 
a depth of 1,110 feet, passed through the Dakota sandstone into 
Permian rocks, and at a depth of 1,000 feet found excellent water, 
which rose within 16 feet of the surface'*. 

Analysis 1, Table 76, denotes a calcic magnesic alkaline water 
that is not very highly mineralized. Analyses 2 and 3 show hard 
calcic alkaline waters, and analysis 4 indicates a sodic calcic alkaline 
water. 

Assay No. 1 is a test of the city water from the Dakota sandstone. 
The sulphate and bicarbonate figures both are high and mark the 
water as having high permanent and temporary hardness. The 
assay of the shallow well water at Scandia shows the water to be 
hard. 



Table 76. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Republic County. 

[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 


=£5 
ft 


Analyst. 


o 


a 
£ 


o 
6 




g 

a 


03 






-2 

CS 

a 









tD 

a 

a 

w 



oa 

B 

03 
ft 

9 
m 

22 

65 
101 
195 

91 

67 


6 

1 

3 


11 

39 
43 

227 

44 
24 


a 

bjO 
;h 


a 

03 

_C3 
> 

66 


■0 
1 

1 

.2 

"3 



1 
2 


1908. 
Sept. 

...do 


ANALYSES. 

Narka, well, 900 
feet from tank. 

Scandia, well, 100 
feet from tank, 
.do 


35 

28 
16 
60 

1.54 
16 


Chicasfo, Rock Is- 
land & Pacific 
Ry. 

do 

Missouri Pacific 
Ry. 

Chicago, Burling- 
ton & Quincy 
R.R. 


33 


b 1.9 

6 7.9 
.8 
631 

2.5 
Tr. 


43 

86 
118 
195 


21 

15 
14 

22 


10 

42 

65 

268 


106 

148 
203 
384 

.0 
.0 


436 
382 


215 

403 
645 


4 


1909. 

1907. 
Feb. 21 

Feb. 22 


Wayne, well 

ASSAYS. 

Belleville, city 
waterworks well. 

Scandia, well in 
Miller's livery 
.stable. 




1 






-7. 

































aAbstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 313. 
6Si02+Fe203-l-Al203. 



168 QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

RICE COUNTY. 

Rice County includes a small portion of Arkansas Valley below 
the Great Bend and extends northward to the low divide toward 
Smoky Hill Valley. The greater part of the county is underlain by 
Dakota sandstone, but the underlying Permian beds appear to the 
southeast. 

Many shallow wells obtain water from the Dakota sandstone. 
There are a number of salt wells and shafts in the county, one boring 
at Lyons having been carried to a depth of 1,625 feet. 

In Sterling there are brine wells 916 and 946 feet deep, and at Little 
River a salt well 1,000 feet deep was reported. The thickness of the 
salt-bearing formations and the nature of the rocks by which they 
are underlain have not been determined.^ 

Analysis No. 1, Table 77, shows a soft calcic alkaline water. Analy- 
sis 2 and assay 7 show the composition of a v/ater from the Dakota 
sandstone. The sandstone is entered at 45 feet and passed through at 
50 feet. The well yields 45 gallons a minute and the water rises to 
within 30 feet of the surface. The water is soft and contains a con- 
siderable amount of chlorides. Analyses 3, 4, and 5 show hard 
calcic alkaline waters; analysis 6 indicates a very hard calcic alka- 
line water high in chlorides. 

A clay stratum is locally believed to separate the two sets of wells, 
of which 1 and 2 are assays. In some parts of Sterling this clay 
stratum is not found by wells wliich are sunk deep enough to pierce it, 
so that it is not unlikely that the wells are all connected with each 
other. The sample of which No. 1 is an assay was taken after 5,500 
gallons of water had been pumped. The four wells were then dis- 
connected and the pumps attached to the two 48-foot wells from 
which a hke quantity of water was pumped before the sample, of 
which No. 2 is an assay, was taken. Assay 2 shows lower sulphates 
and higher chlorides than are shown by 1 , As these two sets of wells 
tap the underflow of Arkansas River the lower sulphates in the 
deeper sample is to be expected, but the higher chlorides is not 
easily explained. Assay 3 is a test of another shallow well water in 
the Arkansas River underflow. Assay 4 shows the composition of 
the water of the well at the Sterling salt works that was put down in 
1902 and in 1907 was abandoned for boiler use because the infiltration 
of salt had destroyed it. Assay 5 is a test of the water of the well 
that was sunk in March, 1907, to be used in place of the old well. 
Assay 6 is a test of the city water of Lyons, which is shown to have 
considerable temporary and but little permanent hardness. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 313. 



RICE COUNTY. 



169 



Total 

dis- 
solved 
solids. 






OS 


s 


CO 




















Vola- 
tile and 
organic. 


10 




01 


CO 
CO 




















Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 


^ r- • 

»-) -^ • CD 


00 (NCOCO (M t^ 10-* 
t^ t^OT-tOOClCi.-H 
.-1 r-l(M(NCO(Ni-l.-l 

co" 






-* 


CO CD OiCD t^ 05-tC/:cD(Nfl*-; 

10 -^ co^ '^ c35i--o^c»g9< 

c3 C3 


.2 














40 C<1 CO CO »o 
C7S OCO -f C^ CO 
C^ICOCO CO CO COCM 


• 

Ooo 


.000 00 

cq 05^ to coco CO 


Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na+K). 


CO CD CO O) CO CO 
















0^ 


00 "O 00 
t^ CO '^ 06 c^ - t^ 

1-H 1— 1 CO 
















iU 


IM 00 >0 00 CO ~^ 
00 Ol .-) - C/3 i^- 10 
















Iron 
(Fe). 


- 


• <N 


U3 -* OCO ^ o_ 


00 


03 -s 

§0 


^ 


00 10 ^ 10 

I C) .-(CO w 
















a 
•A 


eg ^ 

1 : 

§ £ 
•I -2 


i c3 

: "^ t=^ 
; &rt 
: ^S 

i c| 
' ° S 

.E2 * c 




c 


















6-^ 


00 00 

CO CO 




lO 


000 ira -t< coo 
CO -T* c^ 10 10 »o CO 





CO 

•-] 

-< s- 

c 
c 

-c 


■3 5 
w B 

2 ?« 
1 !| 

% |o ^ 
c C fe r 

0>O o,fl > 
1-1 hI 1- 


ft 


— 

; 1 ^ 

f^ c 

h^l h- 


C 


Us fe 1 

^^-^ t 1 

oj oj 13 _aj u:: _aj f 
03COM ai m t- 


■0 

- 

a 
3 P 


03 




• 01 CO 


^ CO • l^ 
.<M .CSI 'C^ 

(M t^ ; 

S M! S^ • C 

: < ;o 


3 ■:: 


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: 


3 

3 


1 


1- 


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^05 T 


t< u 


3 «£ 


3 ^ 


• 


HC 


^c 


5 r 


|H ur 


3 C£ 


3I> 








<^ a> 
• -'o 



S 'S d 

III 

■3 '3 71 



C PI'S 



170 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS, 

RILEY COUNTY. 

Riley County is underlain by Permian beds, except in the eastern 
and southeastern parts where Big Blue River and its tributaries have 
cut through to the Pennsylvanian series. The prospect for soft waters 
is not bright, for both the Permian and Pennsylvanian series yield 
hard waters. 

Analysis 1, Table 78, shows a water of high temporary and slight 
permanent hardness. Analysis 2 indicates a calcic alkaline water of 
high temporary and considerable permanent hardness. The four city 
wells are located at the base of a high bluff, and it is locally believed 
that they are supplied by sheet water from beneath the bluff. Analysis 
3 indicates a very hard water. Analysis 4 is a test of a very hard 
and probably corrosive calcic magnesic saline water. 

Assays 1 to 10 were made in the course of an investigation of the 
wells in the city of Manhattan. The citizens call some of the well 
waters ha.rd and others soft. To determine whether there was actu- 
ally any difference in the waters, tests were made of wells located in 
widely separated parts of the city. It was found that the wells whose 
waters had a high permanent hardness v/ere called hard and the 
others soft, though the temporary hardness of all of the wells is Yerj 
marked. The wells of high permanent hardness are the ones of v/hich 
assays 2, 3, 6, and 10 are tests. All of these wells are located in the 
southeastern part of the city in an area bounded by Big Blue River, 
El Paso, Fourth, and Fremont streets. 

Assay 11 indicates a water of very high temporary and moderate 
permanent hardness. 



EILEY COUNTY. 



171 



bi ;S 







































































5 Jd^-S 






'^ 


























^'^oo 






t-H 


























































<IC 


o o- 


^, 


-3- C 


oc 


^^ OtH 
10 lOlM M 


"O ^ 


o <u^ 


(N 


C^ CM 


(M 


C^IOJ 




p-' 
















O -"-^ 
















« • 


„ 










CT> ' • 




















n_gO 










<M S 2 


"-i ; § § 












^ i. 


. s^ (- 




(Vii- 








^ 


^^ 


;e^e 




iW^ 












CO(N 






100 


^sO 


































(M(N ^ ^a 


CO-* 


.2 PQ 




















PQ^a 




















m^ 








OC 


oc 


oooc 


00 


Ooo 


(N 


T»< oc 

CO IC 




























B OSS' 


■<a 


00 


'a 










3 ft37 
















S-tf JO cs 
















03 03hj^ 
















l|g 


^ 














IN 


(N I> 












S"-- 


















C 


o oc 


CD 










3|g 
































































CN 


CO 




ira c 


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00 -^ 
o 


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co^ 


^§>oc^ 


05 








^E- 




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cc 




































C-; 




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C^CZJ 










































































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1 El 

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COM *- 
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P-(PHfi 

2S = 



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a. 


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feS-Si^t 


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o3 cS 


1 c3 OJ 03 oi 


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Sa 


S&2| 


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00 

T3 'd'^ 


0000 


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P 


M P 


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d 




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Til 


1-1 (N 


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CH 


iz; 
































■^ 


I 



172 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

ROOKS COUNTY. 

Rooks County comprises a portion of the Solomon River valley 
and the adjoining ridges of high plains. The whole county appears 
to be underlain by the Niobrara formation, covered on the higher 
lands by Tertiary deposits. The Dakota sandstone lies more than 
500 feet below the surface on the highest lands and at a depth some- 
what less in the valleys, especially above North Fork of Solomon 
River below Stockton. The strata dip gently to the north. 

The Dakota sandstone will not afford surface flows in this county, 
except possibly in the bottoms of some of the deeper valleys. The 
deepest well reported (490 feet deep) passes through the lower beds 
of the Niobrara and the Benton formations to the Dakota sandstone. 
It is situated on the slopes 9 miles south of Stockton, on the road to 
Plainville, and yields a large supply of excellent water, which rises 
to within 60 feet of the surface.^ 

A good illustration of the perplexing conditions that are sometimes encountered 
in locating wells in the Tertiary is afforded in Stockton. Here the valley of North 
Fork of Solomon River has been cut down into Niobrara chalk for 100 feet or more- 
Subsequently, a filling-in process occurred until the valley was filled to a depth of 
from 30 to 50 feet, producing a broad level surface over which the river flows as it now 
exists. Well drilling on the different lots in Stockton yields varying results. In one 
part of the town water can be found in great abundance. In another part, however, 
water is not found, but in its stead the chalk is reached at a depth less than that at 
which water is found on adjoining lots. The explanation is easily understood. An 
underground ridge of the chalk beds extends outward into the valley some distance, 
a ridge similar to that which we often see along valleys at the present time. The old 
Solomon River valley is filled with water to a certain level. A well drilled in it at 
any point where the water level covers the chalk bed floor will find an abundance of 
water. But should the drill be started over one of these chalk ridges which extends 
down into the valley, so that the surface of the chalk is higher than the underground 
water level, of course no water could be found. ^ 

The only analysis presented in Table 79 is of the water of the city 
of Stockton, which draws its supply from six points sunk 10 feet in 
the bottom of a well 40 feet deep that is 800 feet northeast of North 
Fork of Solomon River. The water is shown by the analysis and 
by assay 2 to be very hard. Assay 3 shows a somewhat harder 
water. Assay 4 is the test of a moderately hard shallow well water 
in the valley of Robbers Roost Creek. Assay 5 indicates that the 
water which is from a shallow well is very hard. Assays 6 and 7 are 
tests of waters from wells that are known to reach the Dakota sand- 
stone and the high degree of mineralization of the waters indicates 
that they are derived from the saliferous and gypsiferous shales of 
that formation. Probably if the wells were sunk deeper into the 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. SU. 
Kept. Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 1896 to the Legislature of Kansas, p. 61. 



EUSH COUNTY. 



173 



rock, softer water would be obtained. Assay 1 is a test of a well in 
the Saline River valley and is a very much softer water than any of 
the other waters of the county that were assayed. 

Table 79. — Analysis and assmjs of underground waters from. Rooks County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 



Date. 



Source. 



Analyst. 



ANALYSIS. 

Stockton, G points, city 
waterworks. 



Missouri Pacific 



5G9 



No. 



Date. 



Source. 



Depth 

(feet). 



Iron 

(Fe). 



Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 



Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 



Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



34 

19 
39 

19 

19 

1,833 

1,635 



1907. 
Sept. 9 
Sept. S 

..do... 
..do... 

..do... 

...do... 

..do... 



ASSAYS. 



PlainviUe, well of Hotel Bales 

Stockton, city waterworks, from 
points 

Stockton, well of W. O. Cross 

Stockton, well of W. T. .Anderson, on 

sec. 1, T. 8S.,R. 18 W 

Stoclrton, dug well of O. Hazen, NE. 

i sec. 35, T.8S., R. 18 W 

Stockton, well of O. Hazen, NE. } 

sec. 35,T.8S.,R.18W.rt 

Stockton, well of O. Hazen, sec. 35, 

T.S, R. 18 W.i) 



475 
504 



1.5 
.0 

.0 
Trace. 
Trace. 

.0 



0.0 



275 

344 
323 

312 

380 

635 

658 



Trace. 

13& 
202 

44 

1S3 

431 

626 



o Sunk in 1903. 



6 Taken from tank. 



RUSH COUNTY. 

Over most of Rush County the surface formation is Benton shale, 
but the Dakota sandstone is said to appear in its southeastern corner. 
The beds dip gradually to the north, so that along the northern 
border of the county the depth to the sandstone is 200 to 500 feet, 
the latter being the elevation of the highest land in the divide south 
of Smoky Hill River. The sandstone has been reached by. a number 
of wells which usually yield satisfactory supplies of excellent water. 
At Lacrosse and in its vicinity there are many wells from 300 to 400 
feet deep. At Otis a well 260 feet deep is reported. In the higher 
lands northeast of Lacrosse a plentiful supply of soft water, which 
rises to within 240 feet of the surface, is found in the sandstone at a 
depth of 444 feet. In the township south of Lacrosse some wells 
find the Dakota sandstone waters slightly too saline to be palatable 
for domestic use. In other portions of the county salty waters are 
found in some wells which stop in the first sandstone layers under 



174 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

the Benton shale, a horizon which usually yields unsatisfactory 
waters. By deepening these wells a few feet the Dakota sandstone 
should be penetrated and probably more satisfactory water ob- 
tained. No reports have been received of wells sunk into the forma- 
tions underlying the Dakota sandstone. It is to be expected that 
such wells, unless very deep, would find nothing but the salty water 
of the Red Beds.^ 

The fluviatile deposits in the valleys of the Walnut and its tributaries are of great 
importance as furnishing the principal water supply of this area [Walnut Creek valley]. 
The valley of the Walnut is filled in with sands and clays, having a substratum of 
gravel for a considerable width. The important tributaries of this stream on the 
south are Dry Walnut, Otter Creek, and Old Maids Fork; on the north Sand Creek, 
Alexander Dry Creek, Bazine Dry Creek, and Long's Branch. These likewise have 
their valleys filled in with considerable deposits of fluviatile material. 

Under this last head [water in the Tertiary] may be included only a few wells found 
on the high divide between the Pawnee and the Walnut. The Tertiary here is found 
in only a few irregular patches and usually is not of great enough extent to form a res- 
ervoir capable of supplying a large amount of water. There are many wells, however, 
which depend upon it for their supply.^ 

Under the head of the fluviatile, the water supply of the city of Lacrosse should be 
mentioned. Here we have a town located on a small stream, with the water found in 
the underflow of its immediate valley, which extends in a comparatively narrow zone 
through the city. Wells dug on either side of this extend into the Benton and fail 
to find water. 

Analysis 1, Table 80, shows a sodic saline water from the Dakota 
sandstone. Analysis No. 2 is the test of a mixture of water from a 
shallow and a deep well. Assays 1 and 2 show the quality of water 
in each of these wells. Both are high in sulphates, chlorides, and 
bicarbonates. Analysis 3 shows a very hard sodic calcic saline 
water from the fluviatile deposits of Walnut Creek. 

All of the assays, except the first, are tests of wells which derivs 
their water from the Dakota sandstone. The waters are very hard 
and the high sulphates and chlorides indicate that the waters come 
from the gypsiferous and saliferous shales at the top of the Dakota, 
Probably more satisfactory waters could be obtained by sinking the 
wells deeper. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, pp. 314-315. 

2 Rept. Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 1896 to the Legislature of Kansas, 
pp. 107, 108. 



EUSSELL COUNTY. 



175 



Table 80. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Rush County. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 



Date. 



1902 
Dec. 15 



Source. 



ANALYSES. 

Bison, well 

Lacrosse, 2 wells.- 

Rush Center, sur- 
face well. 



Analyst. 



294 Missouri Pacific Ry. 
'^}-^o 



Atchison, Topeka 
& Santa Fe Ry. 



12 
5.6 



P r. 

3 3 



802 
1,242 



No. 


Date. 




1907. 


1 


Dec. 16 


2 


...do 


3 


...do 


4 


...do 


5 


...do 


6 


...do 


7 


...do 



Source. 









(D 








^-N 


+J 








o 


03 


^ 


• 




o 


l=!-A 


O 












>s 


^ 


CD 


-r-. 


CD 


.a 


(^ 


a 


Sw- 


7i 


ft 

CD 
ft 



2 


O 


n 


ft 

02 


36 


Trace. 


0.0 


229- 


276 


300 


0.0 


.0 


267 


237 


234 


.0 


.0 


280 


265 


210 


.0 


21 


279 


344 


295 


.0 


.0 


280 


265 


308 


.0 


.0 


272 


237 


325 


Trace. 


.0 


317 


208 



ASSAYS. 

Lacrosse, dug well of Missouri Pacific Ry 

Lacrosse, well of Missouri Pacific Ry 

Lacrosse, well of Bert Shiney 

Lacrosse, well of John Montfort 

Lacrosse, well of W. H. Russell, SW.i sec. 3, T. 

1SS.,R. 18 W 

Lacrosse, well of Judge Anderson, NE. J sec. 9, 

T. 18S.,R. 18 W 

Lacrosse, well of Jas. A. Hite, S W. J sec. 27, T. 17 

S.,R. 18 W , 



146 
453 

443 
490 

443 

457 

438 



EUSSELL COUNTY. 

Russell County comprises portions of the valleys of Smoky Hill and 
Saline rivers and adjoining divides. Over the greater part of the 
county the Benton shales lie at the surface, Dakota sandstone being 
exposed to the east in the valleys of the two rivers. The formation 
dips very gently to the north and is nowhere more than 500 feet 
below the surface, the depth being least along the river bottoms in the 
east, central, and south portions of the county. Many wells reach 
this sandstone and obtain water supplies, usually of good quality and 
in considerable volume. One well in Saline River bottom, north- 
west of Russell, is 125 feet deep and obtains from the Dakota sand- 
stone a flow of moderately hard water, which is said to have sufficient 
pressure to rise 40 feet above the mouth of the well. Some of the 
wells obtain their water from the top sandstone of the Dakota, and 
others go deeper into the formation to obtain better supplies. A well 
at Russell 325 feet deep apparently did not reach the Dakota sand- 
stone, but another well at this place^ sunk to a depth of 997 feet, 



176 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



obtained water, which rose to within 300 feet of the surface but was 
too salty for use. A flow of fresh water was reported at 360 feet, 
apparently from Dakota sandstone, and it is claimed that rock salt 
was penetrated. This well was mainly in the Permian shales." 

Analj^sis 1, Table 81, shows a hard calcic alkaline water. Analysis 
2 exhibits a highly mineralized water from the Dakota sandstone. 
Analysis 3 is a test of a calcic sodic saline water. 

The most satisfactory water shown by the assays is that of the 
spring that supplies Bunker Hill. The water has decided perma- 
nent hardness, but otherwise is very acceptable. Assay 2 denotes the 
softest water of the series of assays. Assays 3 and 4 are tests of 
waters of wells in the Dakota sandstone and indicate by the high 
sulphates and chlorides that these waters are derived from the 
gypsiferous and saliferous shales at the top of the formation. Assay 
5 shows the quality of water of a shallow well in the valley of Wolf 
Creek, a tributary of Saline River, to be very hard. Assay 6 indicates 
the quality of the average shallow well of Russell, where the problem 
of obtaining good soft water has not been solved. Assay 7 is a test 
of a very hard water from a spring situated at the edge of Saline 
River and which it has been proposed to pipe into Russell for a 
public supply. 

Table 81. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Russell County. 

[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Source. 


ft 

a 


Analyst. 


6 

w 
.2 


p 


g 
3 

a 


'3 

03 


ftM~ 

2-3 


d 

i 

o 


O 

M 

ft 

02 


3 

B 

s 

o 


o 
> 
"c 

o 


1 
2 


ANALYSES. 

Dorrance, well 300 feet 
east or station of Union 
Pacific R. R. 

Fay, flowing well?) of Mr.] 
Kellogg, SE. 1 sec. 14,^ 
T. 12 S., R. 15 W. J 

Gorham, well . . 


60 

121 
43 


Union Pacific R.R. 
J. T. Willard 


17 


1.4 


108 
171 


0.0 

282 


32 

/(Na) 4,921 


136 
Uo.'i 


76 

2,066 
214 


22 
6,742 


392 

14. 627 


3 


Union Pacific R.R. 


18 


7.7 


124 11 


\ (K)39j"- 
94 1.33 


84 689 



















a Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 315. 
6 Derived from Dakota sandstone. 



SALINE COUNTY. 177 

Table 81. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Russell County — Continued. 



No. 


■ 
Date. 


1 


1907. 
Sept. 17 


2 


...do...- 


3 


...do 


•1 
5 


...do 

Sept. 9 





1908. 
Sept. 18 


7 


...do 



Source. 



Depth 
(feet). 



Iron 

(Fe). 


Car- 


Bicar- 


Sul- 


bonate 


bonate 


phate 


(CO3). 


(HCO3). 


(SO,). 


0.0 


0.0 


300 


77 


.0 


.0 


445 


Tr 


Tr. 


.0 


312 


150 


Tr. 


.0 


462 


406 


.0 


.0 


386 


108 


.0 


.0 


338 


256 


.0 


.0 


277 


173 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



44 

29 

260 

1,637 

280 



245 
34 



Bunl^er Hill, city supply spring from 

sandstone 2.\ rniles south of city, sec. 

18, T. 14S., R. 13 W 

Bunker Hill, well of C. E. Lindsay, sec. 

14, T.6S.,R. 12 W. a 

Bunker Hill, well of C. E. Lindsay, sec. 

14, T,6S.,R.12 W.b 

Bunker Hill, well of A. H. Shaffer c . . . . 
Lucas, city waterworks well 



246 
265 
50 



Russell, well at livery stable of D. C. 
Winfleld 

Russell, spring at edge of Saline River, 
4 miles due north of Russell d 



a Water was encountered at 15 feet and is probably of very local origin. 
6 Water discovered at 221 feet and is derived from Dakota sandstone. 

c Put down in 1905. Is 80 rods northwest of Lindsay well and, like it, comes from the Dakota sandstone. 
Water rose 40 feet in well. 
d Proposed pubhc supply for Russell. 

SALINE COUNTY. 

Saline County is underlain by Permian rocks, which are in places 
overlain by the eastern edge of the Dakota sandstone, which has been 
so eroded that peninsular-like extensions project out into the county 
or detached isolated masses cover considerable arsas. The Permian 
rarely furnishes soft water, and so ths chief hope of finding any must 
lie in locating wells in the Dakota sandstone below the gypsiferous 
and saliferous shales at the top of that formation. 

But few tests of the waters of Saline County have been made and 
these are all analyses of well waters in fluviatile material at Salina 
(Table 82). All of these are very hard calcic alkaline waters. 



77836°— wsp 273—11- 



-12 



178 



QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



, 






Tf 


CC 




c^ 










r^ 




Total 
dis- 
solved 
solids. 






o -^ 


<3 














I- t- 










10 


































6<v^ 


oo 


oj en 


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CO 


-H 










t- (M 














2 -So 












u ■--- 












0; . 
























■ o o 




















CO 
















g5. 






















- 4) ^ 


o 


O CO 


m 


^ 


00 -1< 


J-S'? 




CO t^ 


r^ 




f^ I^ 










CI 




t Qj'ij 






^ ^ 
















o3 csO 










































.2 l^O 






















pqJW 












































■■ -2^ 


00 


o o 


00 


00 


CO CI 


^gd 


»o 






en 




CSI 




(M 


T-H 


(M M 


O oo 












.Qw 












la§^ 


00 


CO tH 


CO 


^ 


CO .-H 


^ 


O CO 


Tl< 


CO 


t~ M 














''3'^ m cS 


























o 


rf o 


00 


t^ 


(M ^ 


m 


CO CO ^ 


CO 


CO 




03 3^ 














o 


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CO 


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CO 10 


o 


O CD 


Tfl 


Ol 


CO CO 






















o>-- 
















O "* 






0: 


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03 


oi c<i 






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o> 


cn -i< 




M 


(N <M 






CO 


i-H CO 


sd 




























mm 






























h 








•a 


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02 
=3 








T3 

a 


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c3 










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Ph 




ft 
O 

O (P 

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to 

a 

o 




a . 
o >, 


1 

la 







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as 

2^. 


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la 


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jq_^ 


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o 










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>> .a 


c3 


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"S 




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M 


2 S 


6 


O 

ft 
ft 
3 


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1 




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3 
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C3 ^ fl • 
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+ 
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^ 


a 


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tuD-a 


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M 


;^ 


e « 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 179 

SCOTT COUNTY. 

Scott County lies on the High Plains, between Smoky Hill and 
Arkansas rivers. Its surface is covered with Tertiary deposits, which 
are underlain at a depth of 50 to 200 feet by Niobrara chalk. Under 
this chalk, whose tliickness in this region probably ranges from 150 to 
300 feet, increasing gradually to the northwest, there are about 400 
feet of Benton shales underlain by Dakota sandstone. The beds all 
dip gently to the northeast. The depth to the sandstone is about 700 
feet in the southeast corner of the county, gradually increasing to the 
northwest. So far as is known no attempts have been made to reach 
this sandstone. It doubtless contains water supphes, but would not 
afford surface flows, as the land is too high.^ 

The only analyses of waters in Scott County (Table 83) represent 
two wells in the Tertiary deposits at Scott. The waters are very much 
alike and are satisfactory. 

Analyses 1 and 2 show soft calcic alkaline waters. Assay 2 is a test 
of water from a well in the Tertiary deposits and shows it to have 
low temporary and permanent hardness. Assay 3 indicates- that the 
water wliich is taken from a well in a small basin west of Scott is 
like that of the wells sunk in the Tertiary. Assays 4 and 5 are tests 
of the waters of two wells in the Modoc Basin and show that as these 
waters contain large quantities of sulphates, they differ radically from 
the water obtained from wells in the Tertiary. 

1 Abstracted from Trof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 316. 



180 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Table 83. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Scott County. 

[Parts per million.] 





















1 








_c5 


.'H 




























c 


o 


No. 


Date. 


Source. 


1 


Analyst. 


o 


'5' 

6^ 








O 
Q 

03 


d 

0) 


o 

CD 


o 


1 

'3 








^ 








'J 


n 


3 = 


o 


.JS 


i~< 


".^j 










ft 






a 
o 




^ 
^ 


O 


03 

Q 


3 
m 


3 
o 


> 


o 






ANALYSES. 
















1902. 




























1 


Oct. 30 


Scott, surface well 




Atchison, Topeka, 


49 




4,'i 


?A 


',^4 


114 


34 


1'^ 














& Santa Fe Ry. 




' 


















'> 




Scott, 2 wells 


106 


Missouri Pacific 
Ry. 


53 


0.8 


60 


19 


19 


122 


31 


V.6 


S.b 


311 











No. 


Date. 




1907. 


1 


Dec. 13 


2 


Dec. 12 


3 


Dec. 13 


4 


Dec. 12 


5 


...do 



Source. 



Depth 

(feet). 



Iron 

(Ee). 



Car- 
bonate 
(COs). 



Bicar- 
bonate 
(IICOs). 



Sul- 
phate 
(SO^). 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



Scott, well of Missouri Pacific Ry 

Scott, well of E. E. Coffin, lot 8, block 5, 
Case Addition 

Scott, well of A. B. Daugherty, SE. J 
sec. 14, T. 18 S., R.33 W., in a small 
basin west of the city 

Scott, well of E. E. Coffin in Modoc 
Basin, SW. j sec. 31, T. 18 S., R. 32 W . 

Scott, dug well of Si Lynch, in Modoc 
Basin, NW. i sec. 36,T.1S S., R. 33 W.a 



0.0 
.0 

.0 
.0 
.0 



0.0 
.0 

.0 
.0 
.0 



221 
227 

207 
290 
300 



Trace. 
Trace. 

Trace. 
313 
313 



a Well is not walled up. 
SEDGWICK COUNTY. 

Sedgwick County is entirely underlain by Permian rocks and as a 
rule hard waters are to be expected. 

Analyses 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 (Table 84) are tests of wells in Ninnescah 
Valley. Of these analyses, 1, 2, and 3 show soft calcic alkaline 
waters, while 5 and 6 denote hard calcic alkaline waters. Analysis 4 
indicates a hard calcic alkaline water, high in chlorides. 

The waters from Wichita (analyses 7 to 13) differ distinctly from 
the preceding; they come from the underflow of Arkansas River, 
whereas the others do not. All these waters are hard and salty. 
The assay indicates that the city water is liighly mineralized with 
sulphates, chlorides, and bicarbonates. 



SEDGWICK COUNTY. 



181 



-^ n ^ 




g 










O 








^ 














K5 








^JjS-o 




CO 










CO 








CO 












00 






































»o 






^^11 






















" 












*H 






■^ tL 




05 












CM 






IM 




















■■5 o.g 
















O 






o 




















^Ti fl 










































O c* ^ 












































c: 


cr 


(N C0 05 


o 


>o 


C>5 


CO 


CO 


^ 


^ 


01 


^ 




o a>^ 




"^ 


■-iCOlM 






00 


£P 


o 


cs 


Cvl 






S.So 














CN 










CO 


























o "^-^ 




























QJ ^ 


^ 


^ 


o o »o 


C) 


lO 


00 


00 


o 


(N 


C<l 


CO 











CC 


IM CO ^ 


lO 






00 












3|d 










CN 


■-< 


CO 


5 


^ 


>o 


CO 


10 


























1 03 ^ 








































00 


(-< -M -S= 








































CO 


cs.<sO 










































.2 go 










































niW 










































— ' 










































■2^ 



























,^lo 


O 


r^ 


-fi-y «3 


00 


. o 


IM . 


CO 


00 


t- 












Cv 


c£i O; »0 




00 


O 






■^ 








O oo 














« 












^ii 


























iai? 




CO 


'^•(MO 


O) 




^ 


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15 


00 


■<*< 


^ 








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^ 


-1 


1^ 


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CD 


'I' 


















(M 










^ 






-Sts m^ 




























5§ll 






























































CO 






















I-- 


,, 


i-H< CO 


to 


CO 


CO 


f^ 


c 


CO 


Oi 


^ 








"-I 


C^ rH 






C-i- 


CO 




(N 


lO 


UO 






g«>^ 






























t^ 


cc 


,-H lOO 




o 


^ 


CO 


"^ 


(Z) 





CO 






5-25 


^ 




t^^ O^ 








cc 










C3^ 
















'"' 


C] 






(N 


cq 






"-' CJ-^ 






























oc 




(N C<» t^ 


Tf 


cc 


lO 








10 


ro 







d^ 




























o » 






c4coc^ 


o- 














c^i 


10 




^5. 
























a 




c3 -^ 


cr 




-i< oco 




t 


IM 


<Ji 


c^ 


00 


CO 












CV 




Mffi oq 
























;§o 




























































moa 


























































- 




=% 












«^ 




O 


•a 




"o 






■^ 


















"C 




CO 






m 






Xi 








c: 












q 






r^ 










g 








.i< 
















J_^ 


M 




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,2 










































■3 


i 


^ 










c 




C3 












t-H 

!>. 








c 


03 










c 


p? 

ta 


15 


O C3 


















IE 




O O o 


c 


•1 ^ 


eg 
a S 


■II 


c 


Sa 





^ Si 

03 








c 


03 










^ 


Ph 


^M 








2Ph 








<i 












O 




M*" 


<! 




M 













^^ 














a 


















CO 


IN 


(N 


































CO 


CO 


^ 


ft"£ 






































0) <u 






































fi^ 
















































o 
2Ph 






— a 

P,(J3 


J4 




d 

a 


■73 


d-d 
|| 


"S 


i 

o 


m 1 

1-1 c 


1 


1 

a 
a 




Oca 

-si 

^1 




"a 


3M 
Oq=! 


0) 

ft 
o 

o ^ 
•S >> 

IS 





"3 

•So 


"3 
a) 
1— 1^ 

^0 


•" 


(N 

■3 






a 


'S'^St^ 


t 










03-^ 


■^"SP 


03'"o'S 


cf 




i 
c 


i 1 


» o SW 

E3cph 


1 
(5 


c 








adf^ 


1 






M r 


< -^.-H^ 




Tt 


OS 


(M 




5 r-< 


Til 




^ 








) .i-l(N,-( 










.<>■ 


1 


.IM 




. IN 


OJ 


ei 






yi 


t^ 




b^ 


rq 


. ^ 


10 




t^ 


■§ 


o 


O [; 


? §"So s 


O-l- 


C5 a 


O ,-■ 


!§= 


04. 


> ^ 


d 




. 


ro-t 




^ C 


i, 00 c 


Ol '^ 


05 f 


5<Sft 




S Ph 


*"* o3 

l-J 


p 













i-H « 


"^C 


> ^1 


'^OOO 


c/ 


R 


<i 


3 <; 


fi 


m 


d 




1 o 


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^ 










1 



182 QUALITY OF THE WATEK SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

SEWARD COUNTY. 

Seward County comprises a portion of Cimarron Valley in south- 
west Kansas. The greater portion of its surface is covered by Ter- 
tiary deposits, which are underlain by Dakota sandstone to the 
north and by "Red Beds" to the south. Water is usually obtained 
from the coarse materials at the base of the Tertiary grit, and to the 
north by some of the wells from the Dakota sandstones. A State 
well 176 feet deep, sunk just northwest of Liberal, obtains a moderate 
amount of water from the Tertiary grit beds. A well 485 feet deep, 
in Liberal, bored by the Rock Island Railroad Co., is reported to 
have found sandy clay with layers of sand rock all the way down, so 
that apparently it did not reach the ''Red Beds.'' The well yields 
a moderate supply of water, which rises within 125 feet of the surface. 
A similar well at Arkalon is 300 feet deep. 

No reports have been received of any attempts to penetrate the 
"Red Beds" for water supplies, but wells in other parts of the region 
show that the waters from the "Red Beds" are usually too much 
mineralized to be of use.^ 

Both analyses in Table 85 indicate calcic magnesic alkahne waters 
of liigh permanent hardness, that of the well at Arkalon being the 
more marked. 

The assays are tests of the waters of several wells in Liberal which 
locally are believed to differ considerably from each other. As a 
matter of fact the waters are much alike ; all have low temporary and 
moderate permanent hardness. Assay 3 is a test of a water from 
the Dakota sandstone. 

1 A.bstracted from Trof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 316. 



SHAWNEE COUNTY. 



183 



Table 85. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Seward County. 

[Parts per million.] 





















J^ 




^ 






-a 
























n 






;-^ 


















■hr 


^v- 


':;. 


o 






!^ 


No. 


Date. 


Source. 


o 


Analyst. 


o 






g. 


T3 + 


o 




d 


o 


> 








J 

n 




3 


a 


'o 





§1 


03 
o 




a 


o 


■a 

■c3 
















fsi 












.O 


o 








M 




CO 




O 


r^i 


cc 


O 


P4 


CO 


O 


c-i 






ANALYSES. 




























190S. 




























1 


Sept. 


Arkalon, well 


90 


Chicago, Rock Island 
& Pacific Ry. 




aF, 


80 


23 


83 


118 




139 


18 


415 


" 


...do 


Liberal, well 


165 


do 




a3.9l 56 


28 


4.2 


118 




50 


12 


273 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 


Depth 
(feet). 


Iron 

(Fe). 


Carbon- 
ate 
(CO3). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 


Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 


Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 


1 
2 
,S 


1907. 
Nov. 5 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 


ASSAYS. 

Liberal, well of city waterworks 

Liberal, well of Alexander McCord 

Liberal, well of Chas. Calvert b. 


175 
156 
165 
227 
ICO 
241 


0.0 
.0 

Tr. 
.0 
.0 
.0 


0.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 


213 
213 
213 

222 
221 


47 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

38 

44 


15 
15 
15 


4 
5 


Liberal, well of McDermott's laundry . . 
Liberal, well of Jas. Dalton 


15 
10 


6 


Liberal, well No. 1 of Chicago, Rock 
Island & Pacific Ry. 


15 



aSi02+Fe203-(-Al203. 



6 Well is in the Dakota sandstone. 



SHAWNEE COUNTY. 

Shawnee County is wholly underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks^ con- 
sequently the outlook for soft waters is unfavorable, though it may 
be that in the glacial deposits there are satisfactory waters. In the 
valley of the Kansas considerable fluviatile material (see Brown 
County) has accumulated and is an important source of water supply. 

All of the tests (Table 86) are of waters from the immediate valley 
of Kansas River and indicate hard waters, some of which carry in 
solution an appreciable amount of iron and others noticeable amounts 
of chlorides. 



184 



QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 





"■ 


00 


00 


c 


in 




J^ 






00 


IM 




CO 


1 






u; 


c 




00 




CO 0: 


10 




-t^ 


S'^ 


u^ 




CO 


^ 





10 


CO CO 


CO 







0=! 










^ 












tHg 






















' ^ O 




lO 


CO 


-t^ 


cc 


.^ 






C 
















-t 











00 








'o^'T^ P 














































































C 


^ 


r- 


,^ 


coo 


10 03 (N Oi 


CO 


j^ 


CO 


6 tu^ 


■0 


OJ 


m 






00 oi 00 -r 




























. 


b- 


I^ 


c 


10 


<M 00 


CO T-H 00 





rf 


00 


^■2'? 


--a 


c 






03-T 


(N in 


c 


0- 


00 














(M r-l 








<u ■ 


00 


(M 


h; 


^, 


oco 


O) 00 ^ CO 




oc 


>o 




a 






Oi 


OCT 


c-i 10 as 


« 


t- 


CO 






'"' 














C-1 




















,Q^ 




















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03 


^ 




c 


coc^ 


10 <M ^ 


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5gii 




















lis 


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c 


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CO t- O) Tf 


C35 


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3-2o 


« 


c^ 


C<1 


c 


t~-* 


CO IN O- 


-* 


oc 


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c 


t~ 


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Oi 00 CO t^ 


0- 






•— t 


1— t 














T-H 










































<= 














t^ oc 




OC 


00 


fl.-^ 
























o ^ 
















t^ CO 






CO 


M^ 
















13 






e 


^ 


c 










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03 





0- 


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TP 




















































ss 








































































i ^ 


Q. 

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m 












tg 1 p; 


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fc *^ pi 

fe: «: 


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C 
c 


c 

X. 


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g oP5P- 

§ gcSo 





1 

ik p 


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p 


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Ss 










X. 
P 


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c 
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% 


p 

IS 


S 


1 -s 3^ 












P 
C 




bj 




;- 


c 


6 
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1 !>. Ill 

s opi x . ^ 

cf-ii cfC os'pH 03 


a 


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■£ 




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> 


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is 


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c 


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r« 


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03 


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T-H 


Sfefe 


§^ §g S^ fe 
■< C\ m % 


i-g 


°g 


05 ft 


r-l C 




rt 




1— I C 






:s 





'^(5 


'^ 


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!? 


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cc 


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t^ 00 o> c 


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i 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



185 



SHERIDAN COUNTY. 



Sheridan County is a typical High Plains area, thickly covered by 
''mortar beds" or Tertiary grit. The underlying formation is in 
part Niobrara chalk, which is exposed in the valley of Salina River 
in the southeast corner of the county, and in part Pierre shale, which 
probably occupies the higher portion of the region to the northwest. 
The depth to Dakota sandstone is probably about 800 feet in the 
southeast part of the county and 1,250 feet in the northwest part, the 
beds dipping gently to the north.^ 

The only analysis presented in Table 87 indicates a calcic magnesic 
alkaline water from the Tertiary deposits. The assays are all tests 
of waters in Hoxie. Assay 1 shows the water that came from a well 
in the valley of Sand Creek, which was dry at the time the sample was 
taken, to be rather hard. The two other waters examined were taken 
from wells high above the creek bottom. They proved to be soft 
and quite like the waters of many wells that are fed from the Tertiary. 

Table 87. — Analysis and assays of underground waters from Sheridan County. 

[Parts per million.] 



No. 



Date. 



1908. 
Sept. 



1907. 
Sept. 28 



.do. 



Source. 



ANALYSIS. 

Selden, well 



Hoxie, well of E. 

Crum Elevator 

Milling Co. 
Hoxie, well of R. 

Martin. b 
Hoxie, well of Wm. 

Dietz. 



M. 



Analyst. 



Chicago, Rock Island 
& Pacific Ry. 









A-< 
















ftW 


•^ 












§1 


o 


c3 


-n 






o 


^ 


o 


oo 


o 

CO 


o 


CD 


a 


.;:^ 


HH 


a 


MO 


CD 
C3 





^^ 




r^ 


P 5 


o 




^ 






Q 








o 


W 


o 


O 




OS 

1^ 


II 


o 


m 


w 


3 
o 


as. 2 


44 


22 


26 


120 




30 


10 














290 


40 


20 


.0 
.0 








.0 
.0 


241 
233 


Tr. 
Tr. 


15 
15 















a Si02+re203+Al203. 



6 Put down in 1886. 



SHERMAN COUNTY. 

Sherman County lies on the High Plains, chiefly on the divide 
between Republican and Arkansas valleys, its surface thickly covered 
by Tertiary deposits lying on Pierre shale. One of the State test 
wells, located 3 miles northeast of Goodland, reached a depth of 166 
feet, all in Tertiary deposits, and obtained a large supply of water 
for pumping, probably from the basal beds. The Pierre shale in 
this vicinity is doubtless nearly 1,000 feet thick, and the underlying 
Niobrara and Benton formations are probably 950 feet thick, as in 



1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, p. 317. 



186 



QUALITY OP THE WATEK SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 



the region to the east and south. These beds dip gently to the 
north. The Dakota sandstone should He about 1,500 feet below 
the surface in the southeast part of the county and at a depth of at 
least 2,500 feet m the northwest part. All of the land is too high for 
flowing water from the Dakota sandstone to be obtainable, although 
undoubtedly the water-bearing beds of this formation extend under 
the county and would yield water supplies for deep pump wells." 

The depth to the water varies slightly on account of the varying conditions of 
altitude of the surface, but in most places water is reached at from 150 to 200 feet and 
frequently will rise quite perceptibly in the well. It is not unusual for the drill to 
find a bed of water-bearing sand above a stratum of clay, below which is another bed 
of water-bearing sands, the water in which will rise to the level of the first water 
reached. Some wells even have passed a third water-bearing stratum before the 
Cretaceous floor was reached. A neck of the Cretaceous shales exposed along one of 
the tributaries of the Smoky Hill passes up into the southeastern part of Sherman 
County, producing an area in that part of the county over which water is hard to 
obtain. & 

The two analyses presented in Table 88 record tests of soft calcic 
alkahne waters from wells in the Tertiary deposits. The assays are 
all of waters in Goodland. A comparison of assays 1 and 2 makes 
it apparent that the water from the well of the light and power com- 
pany, which is used to eke out the city supply, is somewhat harder 
than the water from the city wells. Assay No. 3 indicates a well like 
that of the light and power company. The other assays show very 
satisfactory waters. 



Table 88. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Sherman County. 

[Parts per million.] 



















03 




^ 






"rt 


















o^ 




O 






















M 


^M 


-^ 


u 








No. 


Date. 


Source. 


ft 


Analyst. 


a 
o 


o 




Si 

3.3 
o 


o 
o 

ill 


W 

03 
O 

o 

3 


o 

CD 

3 


O 

o 


> 

"3 
o 






ANALYSES. 


























1908. 


























1 


Sept. 


Kanorado, well 


145 


ChJeago, Rock Island 
& Pacific Ry. 


C28 


37 


17 


s 


87 




24 





V07 








'?, 


...do 


Goodland, well 


180 


do 


cl8 


88 


10 


18 


89 




29 


V.8 


211 











a Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 317. 

6 Rept. Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 1896 to the Legislature of Kansas, p. 100. 

<;Si02+Fe203+Al203. 



SMITH COUNTY. 187 

Table 88. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Sherman County — Contd. 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 


Depth 
(feet). 


Iron 

(Fe). 


Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 


Bicar- 
bynate 
(HCO3). 


Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 


Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 


1 
2 


1907. 
Sept. 26 
...do 

Sept. 27 

...do 

...do.. .. 


ASSAYS. 

Goodland, city waterworks, 2 wells 

Goodland, well of Goodland Light & 
Power Co. o 


178 
ICO 


0.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 
1.0 


0.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 
.0 


207 

19-i 

197 

184 
188 


Trace. 

49 

59 

Trace. 
...do... 


15 

41 


3 


Goodland, well at southwest corner of 
Courthouse Square 


160 

1C5 
187 


20 


4 


Goodland, well of Chicago, Rock Island 
& Pacific Ry 


15 


5 


. ..do 


10 











a Used to eke out city supply. 



SMITH COUNTY. 



Smith County extends north from North Fork of Solomon River, 
in the north-central portion of the State. The north half of the county 
is covered by Tertiary deposits, under which the Niobrara formations 
appear to the south, Benton shales being exposed in the southeast 
corner of the county. The formations dip gently northward. The 
Dakota sandstone is from 300 to 500 feet beneath the surface in the 
southeastern part of the county, and the depth gradually increases 
northward to 800 feet in the highest lands of the northwest corner of 
the county. 

The principal water supplies are obtained from wells of moderate 
depth in the Tertiary and in alluvial deposits. Some deeper wells 
obtain small amounts of water in the Niobrara and Benton forma- 
tions, but usually in these the waters are insufficient in quantity or 
poor in quality. Several deep borings have been sunk. One at 
Smith Center, 600 feet deep, was all in shale, not being quite deep 
enough to reach the Dakota sandstone. Considerable water was 
found at a depth of 590 feet, which rose to within 390 feet of the sur- 
face, but was too salty to be of use. Apparently, it was derived from 
the salty sandstones and shales which usually occur under the Benton 
shales. Twelve miles southeast of Smith Center, sec. 5, T. 5 S., R. 
12 W., a well 540 feet deep passed through a thick body of dark shales 
into 5 feet of sandstone containing a large volume of water, which 
rose to within 140 feet of the surface, but this water is reported as 
too salty for use. Near Cedarville a well 400 feet or more in depth 
failed to reach the bottom of the shale. Unfortunately no well has 
been sunk sufficiently deep to -test thoroughly the Dakota sandstone 
waters in this county, for although water from the Dakota would not 
flow at the surface, it would doubtless prove to be of better quality in 
the lower portion of the formation, and, having a large volume and 
considerable head, would prove an important source of supply for 
deep pump wells. ^ 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, pp. 317-318. 



188 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



All of tlie analyses presented in Table 89 show calcic alkaline waters. 
Analyses 1 and 2 indicate waters of considerable permanent and high 
temporary hardness. Analysis 3 denotes a much harder water than 
either of the two preceding, and analysis 4 is a test of a water that has 
little temporary and decided permanent hardness. The assay indi- 
cates a water of great permanent and temporary hardness. 

Table 89. — Analyses and assay of underground luaters from Smith County. 
[Parts per million.] 



















1^ 


C3 . 

8g 


6 


, 




o 




No. 


Date. 


Source. 


0) 


Analyst. 


O 




03 

o 






O 


O 


o 


C 6 

03 "S 


li 








& 

p 






o 


3 

6 


1 


Sri 

o " 

02 


o 
U 


ft 
"3 


.s 

o 




O 






ANALYSES. 


























1 




Harlan, well 


,51 


Missouri Pacific Rv. 


2fi 


1 h 


104 


u 


43 


179 


73 


23 


7.5 


474 




1908. 




























2 


Sei t. 


Kensington, well, 60 
feet from tank. 


60 


Chicago, Rock Is- 
land & Pacific Ry. 




al7 


118 


12 


26 


174 


63 


31 




440 


X 


...do.... 


Lebanon, well, 6,000 
feet from tank. 


24 


do 




am 

'J 


176 


14 


47 


278 


10/ 


17 




VKi 










4 


...do.... 


Smith Center, well. . 

ASSAY. 


200 


do 




a 2. 


58 


15 


15 


80 


71 


22 




274 


1 


Sept. 5 


Gaylord, public well 


40 






.0 








0..354 


C) 


94 























aSi02-l-re203+Al203. 



b SO4 greater than 626. 



STAFFOED COUNTY. 

Stafford County lies on the south side of the Great Bend of Arkan- 
sas Valley and is mostly a region of high plains. Its entire area is 
covered by Tertiary and later deposits, which are underlain through- 
out by the Dakota sandstone. 

Most of the wells in the county are 20 to 70 feet deep and obtain 
their water supplies from the Tertiary or later deposits. Doubtless 
wells sunk into the Dakota sandstone would yield additional supplies 
if they were required. The Dakota sandstone is underlain at a 
moderate depth by the '^Red Beds/' which contain saline waters 
and are probably very tliick.^ 

In the northeastern part of the county are two salt marshes that 
are believed to be fed by springs which may have their source in the 
saliferous shales of the Dakota sandstone. 

The analyses, Table 90, show soft calcic alkaline waters; the assays 
also indicate soft waters. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 319. 



STANTO]Sr COUNTY. 189 

Table 90. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Stafford County. 

[Parts per million.] 





















s 




n 






•a 


3 


















"hn 


ftf/ 


-< 


o 






a 




No. 


Date. 


Source. 


•2 

CD 
P 


Analyst. 


O 

1 




1 

'3 

6 




o 


o 
o 

_g 

"S 
a 

o 

C3 

a 


W 

CD 
C8 

a 
o 
,o 
u 
c3 

S 


c5 

03 

0) 

ft 
1 


5 

1 
o 

o 


a 
a 

o 
> 


T3 
0) 

O 






ANALYSES. 






























1902. 






























1 


Oct. 1 


St. John, surface 




Atchison, Topeka 


IS 


1 !■> 


!>7 


6 q 


HO 


1(W 




23 


29 










well. 




& Santa Fe Ry. 
























'>, 




Seward, well: 


68 


Missouri Pacific 
Ry. 


15 


.8 


70 


4.7 


15 


113 




18 


15 


7.2 


'^(iO 








3 




Stafford, well 


80 


do 


'2-S 


2.7 


« 


10 


32 


140 




17 


49 


" 


390 














O 
O 
















C? 


a 


':5 










^ 




o 




O 


^ 


No. 


Date. 


Source. 


H 








M 


O 










r'^ 


03 


fl 


s 


2 








fl 


(i( 


o 




c3 


■^ 








ft 


fl 


^ 


03 


ft 


o 


















.a 








ft 


" 


O 


K 


m 


o 






ASSAYS. 
















1907. 
















1 


Dec. 3 


St. John, well of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry 




0.0 


0.0 


222 


Trace. 


26 


9, 


Dec. 4 


50 


.0 


.0 


174 


Trace. 


44 


3 


...do.... 
...do.... 
...do.... 


Stafford, well of Pacific 
Stafford, well of Wm. S 
Stafford, well of Earl Al 


Elevator Co 


50 


.0 
.0 
.0 


.0 
.0 
.0 


232 
215 
227 


Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 


50 


4 


oan. . . 


72 


5 




90 


104 





































STANTON COUNTY. 

The surface of Stanton County is almost entirely covered by the 
Tertiary deposits of the High Plains. The Dakota sandstone is 
exposed along some of the deeper valleys in the western portion of the 
county and is known to underlie the Tertiary deposits in the region 
to the east and south. It has been reached by a 420-foot well at 
Johnson and by other wells in the vicinity. The water of these wells 
is of satisfactory quality and good volume, but its head is sufficient 
to bring it only to within 150 to 180 feet from the surface. The "Red 
Beds" which underlie the sandstone have not been penetrated in 
this county; they doubtless contain water and might possibly afford 
a flow, as at Richfield, Morton County.^ 

Judge William Easton Hutchinson reports that wells are rather 
shallow along Bear Creek and in the southern part of the county along 
a draw which drains east and west, emptying in an indefinite manner 
into North Fork of Cimarron River. Furthermore, the depth to 
water in the extreme southern part of the county and a part of the 
western portion is somewhat more than 100 feet on an average, but 

lAbstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 319. 



190 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

from a point near the center of the county to the eastern edge the 
depth gradually dimmishes and an abundance of good water is reached 
at a depth ranging from 40 to 50 feet. 

So far as is known, no tests have been made to show the quality of 
waters in Stanton County. 

STEVENS COUNTY. 

Stevens County lies in the big bend of Cimarron River near the 
southwest corner of the State. Its surface is heavily covered by 
Tertiary deposits which to the north lie on Dakota sandstone and to the 
south on the "Red Beds." The location of the line of division between 
the two underlying formations is not definitely ascertained. Most of 
the water supphes in this county are obtained from wells of moderate 
depth in Tertiary sands and gravels; possibly some wells reach the 
Dakota sandstone, but its precise depth and relations are not known. 
Apparently it lies from 200 to 300 feet below the surface, the depth 
probably being less in the Cimarron Valley. No deep wells have yet 
been sunk in the underlying ''Red Beds," but possibly the same 
horizon that yields the saline waters in the wells at Richfield, in 
Morton County, might be found.^ 

Judge William Easton Hutchinson says that in the valley of the 
Cimarron wells are shallow, and that over the rest of the county wells 
are 75 to 100 feet deep and have an abundance of water. 

In the southern tier of counties, including Morton, Stevens, Seward, Meade, and 
Clark counties, in addition to the ordinary ground water, two other features are of 
special interest. The Cimarron River valleys aggregate about 250 square miles of 
unusually smooth even land, with the water in great quantities lying at a depth of 
from 10 to 30 feet.^ 

It is not known that any tests have been made to determine the 
quality of the waters of Stevens County. 

SUMNER. COUNTY. 

Sumner County is entirely underlain by Permian rocks, and the 
prospect for soft waters is poor. 

Analyses 3, 8, and 11, Table 91, show calcic magnesic alkaline 
waters. Analyses 4 and 7 indicate calcic alkaline waters. Analyses 
1 and 2 denote sodic calcic saline waters. Analysis 12 shov/s a calcic 
saline water. Analyses 3, 8, and 11, tests of calcic magnesic alkaline 
waters that are very unsuitable for domestic and industrial use. 
Analyses 6 and 10 show calcic sodic saline waters. Analyses 9 and 13 
denote calcic magnesic saline waters. 

lAbstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 318. 

8 Rept. Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1S95 and 1896 to the Legislature of Kansas, p. 103, 



SUMNER COUNTY. 



191 



Assays 1 to 9, Table 91, are tests of several well waters in Argonia. 
Of these waters only two (those of which assays 1 and 4 are tests) are 
soft; the rest are very hard, and all are high in chlorides. Assays 10 
and 1 1 are tests of the two wells that form the public water supply of 
Conway Springs. Assay 10 denotes a very soft water and assay 11 
one that has great permanent hardness and high chlorides. Assays 10 
and 11 are tests of wells at Mulvane; the former indicates a hard 
water and the latter one that is soft. Assay 14 shows a very hard 
water. 

Table 91. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Sumner County. 

[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 




Analyst. 


g 
s 

03 


a 
1 


O 

o 


1 


si 

p. 2 

o 

CO 


O 
Q 



03 
g 

1 


d 

1 


O 

i 


6 
'S 

03 

£? 

o 
-a 
a 

1 
> 


1 

o , 


1 


1897. 
July 22 

1898. 
Sept. 23 


ANALYSES. 

Belle Plains, driven 
well. 

Belle Plaine, test well . 




Atchison, To- 
peka & Santa 
FeRy. 

do 






115 

126 
41 

24 

79 

47 
87 
92 

247 
294 

143 

279 

186 


26 

29 
16 

2.2 

20 

8.9 
18 
31 

105 
46 

50 

41 

75 


342 

328 
16 

8.1 

126 

49 
24 

45 

14 
224 

40 

50 

54 


259 

205 

84 

82 

317 

53 

124 
190 

226 
63 

221 

182 

208 


61 

87 
27 

12 

136 
113 

68 

502 
783 

150 

469 

410 


454 

466 
26 

27 

17 

24 
12 

48 

126 
152 

90 

129 

83 


46 

108 
72 

17 

68 
36 


1,311 


9 




25 
16 


1,385 


3 


Belle Plaine, 4 sand 
pits. 

Caldwell, new well 




Missouri Pacific 
Ry. 

Atchison, To- 
peka & Santa 
Fe Ry. 

... .do.. .. 


25 


329 


4 


1900. 
July 30 

1902. 
Sept. 9 


118 


5 


Johnstons, well at red 

barn. 
Johnstons, hotel well. . 








632 


fi 




do 






360 


7 


Sept. 23 
Oct. 21 

Mar. 11 
June 10 

Jan. 20 

...do.... 

1908. 
Sept. 


Mulvane, well. . . 




. .do.... 


24 
15 


3.6 




8 


South Haven, surface 
well. 




do 






q 




do 


207 
243 

50 

77 


1,433 


10 


Wellington, private 

well. 
WelUngton, well at 

Hunter's mill. 
Wellington, test wells 

of Atchison, Topeka 

& Santa Fe Ry. 

Wellington, well 95 
feet from tank of 
Chicago, Rock Is- 
land & Pacific Ry. 




do 






1,811 


n 




do 






750 


12 
13 


33 


do 

Chicago, Rock 
Island & Pa- 
cific Ry. 




0.7 


1,232 

1,045 



aSi02-fFe203-|-Al203. 



192 QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Table 91. — AnoJyss and assays of underground waters from Sumner County — Contd. 



No. 


Date. 


1 


1908. 
Jan. 10 


2 
3 


...do.... 
...do.... 


4 
5 


...do.... 
...do.... 


6 

7 


1907. 
May 16 
...do 


8 


1908. 
Jan. 7 


9 


...do.... 


10 


Jan. 10 


11 


...do.... 


12 


1907. 
May 16 


13 


...do.... 


14 


1898. 
Jan. 8 



Source. 



Argonia, well opposite the bank and 

Smith's livery. 

1 "'TOnia, well of Arlington Hotel 

Argoiia, well of H. C. Hetrick on 

Main Street. 

Argonia, well at Smith's livery 

Argonia, well of Badger Lumber Co.. 



Belle Plaine, public wello 

Belle Plaine, well at depot of Atchi- 
son. Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. 



Caldwell, well on Main Street, oppo- 
site Detrick's store. * 

Caldwell, well on Fifth Street at 
Drake & Towner's smithy. 

Conway Springs, city supply, east 
well. 

Conway Springs, city supply, west 
well. 

Mulvane, well on Main Street oppo- 
site Minnich's store. " 

Mulvane, well on Mulvane Street, 
block 35, lot 3 and E. J lot 4. 

Wellington, 2 wells of Wellington Ice 
& Cold Storage Co. d 



Depth 
(feet). 



30 



40 
40 
65 
18 

32 
40-45 



Iron 
(Fe). 



0.0 



Trace. 
.0 



Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 



Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 



272 
214 



249 
222 



176 
140 



204 
184 
163 
65 

232 
212 



Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 



Trace. 
344 



Trace. 
82 



86 
104 



115 

124 

573 

Trace. 

115 
Trace. 

492 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



67 



268 
130 



161 
422 



622 
75 



136 
114 
83 
26 

55 
50 

188 



a Put down in 1900. ^ Put down about 1878. c Put down about 1891. d Used for condensers. 

THOMAS COUNTY. 

In Thomas County the conditions are similar to those in Sherman 
County, but o^ng to the shghtly diminished altitude of the High 
Plains and the slight rise to the south of the underlying formations 
the Dakota sandstone is probably nearer the surface, its depth being 
about 1,600 feet in the center of the county, 1,250 feet in the south- 
east corner, and 2,000 feet in the northwest corner. A well at Colby 
reached a depth of 200 feet and obtained from the Tertiary ''mortar 
beds" a satisfactory supply for pumping.^ 

Both the analyses and assays presented in Table 92 are tests of 
soft waters from the Tertiary deposits. 



1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. GeoL Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 319. 



TEEGO COUNTY. 



193 



Table 92. — Analyses and assays of underground ivater from Thomas County. 

[Parts per million.] 



















■f? 











1 
















M 

^ 


03 



d 





-i 




T3 


No. 


Date. 


Source. 




Analyst. 


a? 

a 

a 


O 

'3 



03 


t3 . 


CO 




03 

a 


03 



1 




J 

03 

ft 

D 


3 

ID 


3 





.3 

■^ 







ANALYSES. 


























1P08. 


























1 


Sept. 


Brewster, well 


155 


Chicago, Rock Island 
& Pacific Ry. 


08.2 


38 


19 


29 


105 




41 


15 


256 


•^ 


...do 


Colby, well 


147 


do 


a'M 


5'^ 


19 


Ifi 


VH 




■^1 


9 7 


''66 






ASSAYS. 


























1907. 


























1 


Sept. 25 


Colby, well of G. I. 
Idzorek. 


1(18 




.0 








.0 


945 


Tr 


10 






























? 


...do 


Colby, well of Chicago, 


14'i 




.0 








.0 


941; 


Tr 


10 








Rock Island & Pa- 




























cific Ry. 

























a Si02+Fe203+Al203. 
TREGO COUNTY. 

Trego County, in west-central Kansas, comprises a portion of 
Smoky Hill Valley. The higher lands are thickly covered with 
Tertiary deposits; the valleys expose the Niobrara formation, which 
underlies the entire county, attaining a thickness of 200 to 300 feet 
in the west part, but tliinning gradually to the east, owing to the 
erosion of its upper surface. The Niobrara is underlain by about 
400 feet of Benton formation, which in turn rests on the Dakota 
sandstone, the beds all dipping gently to the north. The sandstone 
Ues about 400 feet below the surface in Smoky Hill Valley, 500 feet 
below in the lower lands along the east margin of the county, and 
about 900 feet below in the northwest townships. 

None of the wells reported have reached the sandstone, although 
several have penetrated the overlying formations for several hundred 
feet. One of these wells, 3 miles north of Smoky Hill River, near 
the west border of the county, is said to have the following record : 

Record of well north of Smoky Hill River, near western border of Trego County, Kans. 

Feet. 

Clay 0-40 

Blue shale 40-150 

White chalk, with small water supply 150-190 

Blue shale 190-446 

A well 3 miles south of the river has a similar record. In a well 12 

miles southwest of Wakeeney (sec. 12, T. 14 S., R. 24 W.) a well 438 

feet deep ending in black shale of the Benton formation obtains 50 

gallons a day of satisfactory water at a depth of 150 feet below the 

77836°— wsp 273—11 13 



194 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



clialk. Many wells in the higher lands in the central part of the 
county obtam satisfactory water supplies in the gravels and sands 
of the Tertiary deposits, but usually fail to find any water in the 
underlymg shale. The alluvial formations along the bottoms of 
Smoky Hill and Saline rivers and some other streams contain con- 
siderable water.^ 

All the waters of which tests are recorded m Table 93 are from the 
Tertiary deposits and all are soft except that characterized by anal- 
ysis 2 as having high permanent hardness. No tests were made of the 
waters of any of the deep wells nor of those of the shallow wells in the 
southern part of the county. 

Table 93. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Trego County. 
[Parts per million.] 





















^ 




^ 








•rt 




















T3 + 


6 


o 
o 

M 


^ 








No. 


Date. 


Source. 


t 

ft 


Analyst. 


O 

S 

.2 

m 


i 


03 

o 

s 

3 
Q 


6 

3 

s 

a 


3 S 

.-H 3 

■dM 

o 

m 


1 
o 


a 
o 


CO 

i 

3 


O 


o 

ID 

a 
B 
o 


> 
1 
-a 

o 






ANALYSES. 




















1908. 






























1 


Mar. IG 


Collyer, well 389 feet 
east of Union Pa- 
cific R. R. station. 


99 


Union Pacific 
R. R. 


40 


Tr. 


64 


16 


11 


lie 




32 




17 


294 


2 


Apr. 20 


Wakeeney, well 
1,800 feet east of 
Union Pacific R. 
R. station. 


72 


do 


48 


1.2 


84 


IS 


36 


113 




94 


1.6 


55 


452 


3 


Apr. 21 


Wakecnev, well one- 


7S 


do 


H9 


1 <) 


43 


s 


^'{) 


90 




15 




13 


'^3(1 




half mile west 
































from Union Pa- 
































cific R. R. tank. 






























1907. 


ASSAYS. 




























1 


Sept. 21 


Wakeeney, city • 
well east of Court- 
house Square. 


alOO 






0.0 


... 






..0.0 


229 


Tr. 




26 




•> 


...do.... 


Wakeene}', well 
of J. R. Wilson on 


90 




... 


.0 








.0 


211 


rlo 




20 
















Russell Street. 





























a Depth of the average well in city. 



WABAUNSEE COUNTY. 

The southwest part of Wabaunsee County is underlain by Permian 
beds and the rest by rocks ol the Pennsylvanian series. Soft waters 
are therefore not obtainable, except possibly in the northern part of 
the county, where there are glacial deposits. 

The two analyses presented in Table 94 show very hard calcic alka- 
line waters. The assays were all made at Alma. The first three 
show soft waters, all of which are from wells in the hilly part of the 
city high above the Mill Creek bottoms. The last two assays indicate 
very hard waters in the Mill Creek bottoms in the flat part of the city. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, pp. 319, 320, 835, 



WALLACE COUNTY. 



195 



Table 94. — Analyses and assays of underground ivaters from Wabaunsee County. 

[Parts per million.] 





















^ 






























o -.: 




O 








No. 


Date. 


Source. 


Ph 
P 


Analyst. 


o 

03 

m 


'a 

n 
g 

1— 1 


'5~ 
o 

"3 
o 




o 


O 
O 

a 
o 

o 


o 

a) 

ta 
a 
o 
.g 

3 


6 

m 

CD 


o 
g 

o 


i 

o 
o 




1902. 


ANALYSES. 


























1 


Dec. 10 
1908. 


McP'arland, Chicago, Rock 
Island & Pacific Ry. wel). 




Kennicott Water 
Softener Co. 


22 


10 


125 


23 


35 


209 




90 


29 






Sept. ■ 


VoUand, well 150 feet from 
tank of Chicago, Rock Is- 
land & Pacific Ry. 




Chicago, Rock Is- 
land & Pacific 
Ry. 




«6.8 


130 


31 


5.7 


202 




101 


16 


493 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 


Depth 

(feet). 


Iron 

(Fe). 


Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 


Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 


Chlo- 
rine 

(CI). 


1 


1907. 
Aug. 14 

...do.... 

...do.... 

...do.... 
...do.... 


ASSAYS. 

Alma, well in courthouse yard on Kan- 
sas Avenue 6 


50 

50 

75-80 
35 

40 


1.5 

.0 

.0 
1.0 

.0 


0.0 

.0 

.0 
.0 

.0 


267 

329 

380 
344 

356 


Trace. 

37 

Trace. 
168 

256 


34 


2 


Alma, well of C. M. Rose, Kansas Ave- 


109 


3 


Alma, well at new schoolhouse, Missouri 
Street^ 


29 


4 
5 


Alma, well at New Commercial Hotel. . . 
Alma, well at L. Schroeder's restau- 
rant, Missouri Street ^ 


109 
218 









a Si02+Fe203-l-Al203. 

6 Sunk in 1879, very old pipe. 



c Drilled about 1887. 
d Drilled in 1906. 



WALLACE COUNTY. 



e Put down August 10, 1907. 



In Wallace County the High Plains are deeply trenched by the 
headwaters of branches of Smoky Hill River. Altitudes in the county 
range from 3,000 fsat above sea level in the valley east of Wallace to 
slightly over 4,000 feet in the higher lands along the State line. The 
plains are occupied by Tertiary deposits, but in Smoky Hill Valley the 
underljdng Pierre shales are exposed. These shales are probably not 
over 300 feet thick in the valley east of Wallace, but they thicken to 
the northwest. The combined thiclaiess ol the Benton and Niobrara 
formations in this county is probably about 1,000 feet, for the Nio- 
brara beds thicken to the west. The Dakota sandstone, therefore, 
hes at a depth of about 1,100 feet in Smoky Hill Valley, at the eastern 
margin of the county, about 1,500 feet at Sharon Springs, and prob- 
ably 2,000 feet in the northwest corner of the county. The results of 
the well at Horace, in the next ccumty south, indicate that the Dakota 
sandstone contains a large volume of water, whose head, however, 
will take it only to an altitude of 2,938 feet; and although the head 
increases somewhat to the north, it is still insufficient to afford flows 



196 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



except probably for a few miles in Smoky Hill Valley south, and east of 
Wallace. 

The principal water supplies are obtained from the lower portion of 
the Tertiary deposits and from the alluvial sands and gravels in the 
large valleys. A number of attempts have been made to obtain 
water from the und3rlying shales. Near the town of Wallace wells 
have been sunk to 400 and to 448 feet, all in shale below the Tertiary 
deposits, without obtaining much water. A short distance north- 
west of Wallace a boring 800 feet deep failed to reach the Dakota 
sandstone.^ 

The only analysis in Table 95 is of a very soft water at Weskan. 
All of the assays, and particularly- No. 1, show hard water. 

Table 95. — Analysis and assays of underground waters from Wallace County. 

[Parts per million.] 





















i 








T3 






















^ 






o 


















?! 


-1- 


O 


^5 




•o 


No. 


Date. 


Source. 




Analyst. 


O 

M 

m 




a" 


a 




a 
o 


O 
m 


n 


o 
S 








^ 






fl 


o 


^ 
S 




t; 


M* 




.i:^ 








ft 




m 




Q 


O 
02 


a 




A 

o 


o 






ANALYSIS. 


























1908. 


























1 


Mar. 16 


Weskan, well 100 feet west of 
Union Pacific R. R. depot. 


1.34 


Union Pacific R.R. 


27 


5.7 


41 


10 


17 


92 


9.1 


12 


216 



No. 


Date* 


Source. 


Depth 

(feet). 


Iron 

(Fe). 


Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 


Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 


Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 






ASSAYS. 
















1907. 
















1 


Sept. 24 


Sharon Springs, well at Wildman's liv- 
ery barn on north side of Eagle Tail 
Creek. 


30 


.0 


.0 


143 


(«) 


242 


2 


...do.... 


Sharon Springs, well of J. A. Johnson 
on south side of Eagle Tail Creek. 


24 


.0 


.0 


356 


100 


15 


3 


...do.... 


Sharon, new weU of Union Pacific R. R. 
on south side of Eagle Tail Creek. 6 


14 


.0 


.0 


369 


82 


15 



a SO4 greater than 626. 

b Under construction at time sample was taken; to be 40 feet deep when completed. 



WASHINGTON COUNTY. 

Washington County lies between Republican and Little Blue Val- 
leys in the north-central portion of the State. The Dakota sandstone 
is the prevailing formation over the greater part of the county, but in 
Little Blue Valley, in the southeast corner, the underlying Permian 
beds appear. 

Many wells of moderate depth obtain water from the Dakota sand- 
stone. A boring put down in the village of Washington to a depth 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 320. 



WASHINGTON COUNTY. 



197 



of 2,200 feet obtained no noteworthy water supply, and thus indicates 
that the Permian shales, limestones, and sandstones, which underlie 
the Dakota sandstone in this region, do not contain water .^® 

Glacial deposits occur in parts of this county and may possibly 
yield supplies of good water. 

Analysis 1 (Table 96) shows the city water of Greenleaf to be hard. 
Washington city water, according to analysis 3, has low temporary 
and high permanent hardness, but assay 5, which was made two years 
later and which is believed to correctly represent the water at the 
present time, shows the water to have a high temporary hardness and 
very great permanent hardness. Analysis 4 denotes a hard calcic 
magnesic saline water that would probably prove corrosive in steam 
boilers. Analysis 2 indicates a very hard calcic alkaline water. 

Assays 1 and 2 signify that the public water supply of Greenleaf 
has high temporary hardness. The water of the city of Hanover is 
remarkably hard, as assays 3 and 4 indicate. The difference in sul- 
phates in these two tests is noteworthy. Assays 5, 6, 7, and 8 are 
tests of several wells in Washington, all of which are proven to be 
very hard, though that of which assay 6 is a test is considerably softer 
than the others. 



Table 96. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Washington County. 

[Parts per million.] 





















1 








d 


t3 




















^ 


^ 






§ 


o 


No. 


Date. 


Source. 


1 


Analyst. 


o 


a 

o 


o 
1 




o 

m 


O 

o 

o 

8 


d 


3 

p 
■c 

o 


o 

a 

> 


T3 
0) 

> 

"o 

'■B 
"3 

o 






ANALYSES. 






















1 




Greenleaf, 6 wells 


55-65 


Missouri Pacific 


''fi 


1 


81 


■JR 


% 


isn 


54 


15 


H'> 


49S 


? 




Haddam, well 


65 


Ry. 
Chicago, Burling- 
ton & Quincy 




638 


213 


30 


81 


355 


187 


31 
















1905. 






R.R. 






















3 


Jan. 25 


Washington, city- 
waterworks well. 


61 


Dearborn Labora- 
tories. 


24 


1.5 


54 


16 


33 


109 


56 


27 




325 


4 


...do 


Washington, well at 


58 


do 


85 


7 1 


146 


47 


83 


178 


383 


31 




970 






plant of Hoerman 






























Bros. Manufactur- 






























ing Co.c 



























o Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 321. 

6 SiOa-l-FeaOs-f- AI2O3. 

c Analysis furnished by Hoerman Bros. Manufacturing Co. 



198 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Table 96.- — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Washington County — 

Continued. 



No. 


Date. 


Source. 


Depth 
(feet). 


Iron 
(Fe). 


Car- 
bonate 
(COs). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3V 


Sul- 
phate 
(SOO. 


Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 


1 

2 


1907. 
Feb. 20 
Oct. 10 
Feb. 18 
Oct. 10 
Feb. 19 
Feb. 20 
Feb. 19 

...do 


ASSAYS. 

Greenleaf, city waterworks, 6 wells 

Greenleaf, city waterworks, 3 wells 

Hanover, city waterworks well. 


55-65 
55-65 
36 
36 
61 
33 

58 
26 


Tr. 
0.0 
Tr. 
.0 
Tr. 
Tr. 

Tr. 
Tr. 


0.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 

.0 
.0 


358 
350 
394 
394 
224 
302 

268 
371 


47 
Trace. 
578 
313 
626 

91 

626 
278 


20 
20 
20 


4 


.. .do 


20 


5 
6 

7 

8 


Washington, city waterworks well 

Washington, we'll of Mr. Stackpole 

Washington, well at plant of Hoerman 
Bros. Manufacturing Co 

Washington, well on north bank of 
Mill Creek of Hoerman- Bros. Manu- 
facturing Co 


45 
40 

30 
14 



WICHITA COUNTY. 

Wichita County is in west-central Kansas, on the High Plains, 
between the valley of Arkansas and Smoky Hill rivers. The surface 
is heavily covered by Tertiary deposits, which are probably under- 
lain throughout by the Niobrara formation and possibly, in the 
northwest corner of the county, by a small amount of Pierre shale. 
Beneath the Niobrara formation, here 300 to 400 feet thick, is the 
Benton shale, about 400 feet thick, resting on Dakota sandstone, the 
formations all dipping gently to the northeast. The Dakota sand- 
stone lies from 800 to 1,100 feet below the surface, its depth increas- 
ing gradually from southeast to northwest. It contains water, but 
the results of the well at Horace, in the adjoming county (Greeley), 
indicate that the head of this water is sufficient to bring it only 
within 700 feet of the surface, so that it does not promise to have 
economic value. 

The principal water supplies in the county are obtained from 
the coarse beds in the lower portions of the Tertiary deposits, at 
depths ranging from 100 to 300 feet. Some of the wells have been 
bored into the underlying shales, but these yield no water of any 
consequence.^ 

The two analyses in Table 97 indicate calcic alkaline waters. 
Assays 1 aixd 3 denote soft waters, and assay 2 represents a water 
that is low in bicarbonates and chlorides but which carries a rather 
large amount of sulphates. 

1 Abstracted from Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 32, 1905, p. 321. 



WOODSON COUNTY. 199 

Table 97. — Analyses and assays of underground waters from Wichita County. 

[Parts per million.] 





















s 








6 


■3 


















^ 


ft. ^ 








S 


o 
































No. 


Date. 


Source. 


1 


Analyst. 


o 

S 


a? 




g. 




O 

o 

a 


d 

la 


a) 

a 


o 

a 


"o 

73 








ft 




1 


a 

o 


2 
o 




3 " 
o 


o 

o 


ft 
m 


o 

3 
o 


o 
> 


"3 
o 






ANALYSES. 


























1 




Coronado, 2 wells 


135, 143 


Missouri Paciiic 
Ry. 


58 2 


56 


17 


24 


75 


58 


8.4 


12 


S11 








? 




Selkirk, 2 wells 


154 


do 


461.9 


44 


18 


16 


99 


33 


11 


17 


'.>K'i 















No. 


Date. 


Source. 


Depth 
(feet). 


Iron 
(Fe). 


Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 


Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 


Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 


1 


1907. 
Dec. 14 
-..do 

...do 


ASSAYS. 

Leoti, well of Frank Campbell .. 


86 


0.0 
.0 
.0 


0.0 
.0 
.0 


180 
180 
185 


Trace. 

65 

Trace. 


20 


2 


Leoti, well at rear of Font's Mercantile 
Co 


24 


3 


Leoti, well at C. E. D. Whittaker's liv- 
ery barn '. 


80-90 


15 



WILSON COUNTY. 

Wilson, County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, which yield 
hard waters. 

Analysis 1, Table 98, is a test of a ferromanganese well water and 
analysis 2 of a highly saline well water at Fredonia. 

Table 98. — Analyses of underground waters from Wilson County. 
[Parts per million.] 

















"to 


d ■ 


^ 


















'3' 


s. 


.^ + 


O 

o 


6 


^ 


No. 


Source. 


O) 


Analyst. 


g 
3 


i 


o 

a 


3 


II 


2 


o 
'^ 








ft 




C3 


a 
o 


1 




O'm 


o 


ft 
"3 


_o 






P 




M 


^ 


o 


rt 


m 


o 


M 


O . 


1 


Coyville, well of Jacob 
Killion. a b 




E. H. S. Bailey and F. 
B. Porter. 


24 


12 


17 


7.7 


26 


157 




39 


2 


Fredonia, Hudson well a 


<:1,175 


E.,H. S. Bailey and H. 
E. Da vies. 


43 


£6 


1,425 


2,844 


2,791 


ISO 


40 


49,285 



a Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 7. 

6 Mn, 20. 

c The salt water is encountered at 400 feet. Br, 79; I, 8.4. 

WOODSON COUNTY. 

As Woodson County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks, the 
prospect of finding soft water is poor. 



200 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



The only analysis presented in Table 99 is of a brine well. The 
assays are all tests of water at Yates Center. Of these assays, 1 and 
4 show soft waters; 2 and 3 indicate very hard ones. 

Table 99. — Analysis and assays of underground waters from Woodson County. 

[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


1 









ANALYSIS. 

Piqua, brine wella.. 



Analyst. 



E. II. S. Bailey. 



Tr. 



aw 



r(Na) 4, 540 
t(K) 170 



7,127 



No. 



Date. 



Source. 



Analyst. 













•^ 








O 


C3 


'^ 




a 


fl^ 


O 






°6 




fi> 


^ 


tl" 


.2 


pR 


a 


^M 


« 




o 




A 


a 

o 


o 






Tr. 


0.0 


53 


0.0 


0.0 


.0 


575 




.0 


.0 


97 


154 


.0 


.0 


58 


Tr. 



1905. 
July 24 

...do 

July 25 
July 24 



Yates Center, well 4 miles south and 

2 miles east of city. 
Yates Center, well 6 miles east of 

city, b 

Yates Center, well 

Yates Center, spring in southeastern 

part of city. 



E. Bartow. 
do 



.do. 
.do. 



39 

258 



169 
16 



a Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 7. 

b On second bottom of Cherry Creek. SO4 greater than 626. 



WYANDOTTE COUNTY. 

Wyandotte County is underlain by Pennsylvanian rocks which may 
be expected to yield hard waters; it is possible, however, there may be 
glacial deposits that yield soft waters. 

Table 100 presents all the analyses of ground waters that were 
tested. All these analyses show very hard waters except analysis 13, 
which denotes a soft water. Calcic alkaline waters are shown by 
analyses 1, 2, 3, 9, 12, 13, and 14. Calcic magnesic alkaline waters 
are shown by analyses 10, 11, and 15, while calcic saline waters are 
shown by analyses 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. All the waters which were tested 
for iron show its presence in considerable amounts. The only assay 
is of the public water supply of Argentine, which is shown to be very 
hard and to contain a notable quantity of iron. In this latter respect 
it is like the wells of the public water supply of Lawrence and like 
those of other cities that derive their water supplies from the fluvia- 
tile deposits of the Kansas. 



WYANDOTTE COUNTY. 



201 





00 





CJ! 


05 


CO 

o- 




CO 


i 


10 

en 
00 


d 

00 



0: 


1 


■^ 


CO 
0! 


CD 










Vola- 
tile 
and 
organic. 


i^ oo(NecooajO co -^^ (M 

10 rt<Nr-I^Ot^cXltD^ CD 












Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 


t^ OiCOMO^OOSCOT-1 t-^t^CT) »0 00 ^ 


Sul- 
phate 
(SO,). 


(MINa>-*(NOO^CO OCOtH Ttl 01 
00 OOCOOOi^OiOTt^I-- coo<N t^ 00 
IMr-((NCO(NCO<NCO!N (NrH CI 


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1 



202 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES Ol' KANSAS. 

SURFACE WATERS. 
GENERAL FEATURES OF DRAINAGE- 

The surface waters of Kansas reach the ocean through the Missis- 
sippi. The streams of the northern and eastern parts of the State 
enter the Mississippi by way of Missouri River, which unites with the 
main stream at a point 15 miles above St. Louis; those of the southern 
part reach it through Arkansas River at the eastern edge of Desha 
County, Ark. Kansas River — commonly called the Kaw — discharges 
into Missouri River at Kansas City, Mo.; it receives the drainage from 
the northern two-fifths of the State. Osage River carries the run-off 
of a small area in the eastern part of the State, the waters which 
enter it in Kansas being merely its fountain head. At the eastern 
edge of Linn County, the Osage crosses into Missouri, where the main 
portion of its drainage area lies and where it empties into Missouri 
River, 12 miles east of Jefferson City. Arkansas River with its tribu- 
taries, chief among which are Cimarron, Medicine Lodge, Chikaskia, 
Caney, Verdigris, Neosho, and Spring rivers, drain the western part 
of the State. 

MISSOURI RIVER DRAINAGE BASIN. 

Missouri River Above Kansas City. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Missouri River forms the northeastern boundary of Kansas to 
Kansas City and receives the drainage from somewhat more than half 
of the State; the southern part of the State drains-to the Arkansas. 

With the exception of the Nemaha, which drains a small area lying 
close to the northern boundary of the State, the Missouri receives in 
Kansas but one important tributary — the Kansas or Kaw — but south 
of the Kansas is a considerable area drained by the Osage, locally 
called Marais des Cygnes River, which reaches the main stream near 
Osage, Mo. 

The Missouri itself is utilized in Kansas chiefly as a place of disposal 
for the sewage of the cities along its banks but also as a source of 
drinking water. At Kansas City, Kans., its discharge varies within 
rather wide limits, as shown by Table 101. 



MISSOURI EIVEE ABOVE KANSAS CITY. 



203 



Table 101. — Monthly discharge of Missouri River at Kansas City, Kans., for period 
April 1 to December Si, 1905 (inclusive). 

[Drainage area, 492,000 square miles.] 



Month. 



April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. Minimum. Mean 



84, 800 
138.300 
148,800 
2,36,000 
105,800 
■ 168, 000 
49, 680 
54, 500 
42,450 



236, 000 



33, 600 
44, 700 
73, 700 
91,550 
45, 150 
30, 700 
28,250 
30,350 
16, 250 



16, 250 



48, 990 
81,170 
111,800 
150,800 
77, 740 
71,000 
35,560 
.38, 520 
25, 750 



Nemaha River enters the Missouri near Rulo, Nebr., a httle north 
of the Kansas-Nebraska State Une. The South Fork of this stream 
drains Nemaha County, Kans. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

Samples of water were collected daily from Missouri River near 
Kansas City, Kans.,^ from October 4, 1906, to October 21, 1907. As 
described on page 11 of this report, samples for ten consecutive days 
were combined and the composite was analyzed. The results of these 
analyses are presented in Table 104. 

This table shows that in general the bicarbonates are numerically 
in excess of the sulphates. Considered also in terms of their chemical 
equivalents, it is found that though the bicarbonates predominate 
over the sulphates during the larger part of the year, the sulphates 
are in excess of the bicarbonates in the period from April 15 to June 23. 
As calcium and sulphates are high, and magnesium is present in 
moderate amount, the permanent hardness is marked, and as the 
bicarbonates are rather low, the temporary hardness of the water 
is moderate. The chlorides are low. The total dissolved solids rise 
rather regularly and normally. as the river falls, for at low stages the 
river carries considerable ground water, and the water is therefore 
more highly mineralized than it is when rain water constitutes a 
large proportion of the flow. The turbidity and suspended. matter 
are very high, excepting the composite sample taken February 3 to 12. 
The coefficient of fineness varies considerably, but is always high, 
indicating that the suspended matter is coarse. 

As observations of river stage were taken at Kansas City, Mo., 
below the mouth of the Kansas, during the period in which samples 
were collected for analysis, it was possible to estimate the amount of 
denudation accomplished by the river above this point. From these 



I Above the mouth of Kansas River. 



204 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



estimates it appears that during the time that the investigation was 
in progress the Missouri carried away in suspension an average of 
567,500 tons and in solution 102,000 tons every 24 hours. 

Tests were made of the waters of several Kansas streams that empty 
into Missouri River above the Kansas, and the results appear in assays 
61-65, Table 102. The water of South Branch of Nemaha River at 
Seneca (assay 61) is soft. The water of Walnut Creek at Padonia 
(assay 62) has low temporary and marked permanent hardness. 
Assay 63 represents a test of Nemaha River in flood stage. Wolf 
Creek at Fanning (assay 64) is soft. Three Mile Creek at Leavenworth 
(assay 65, Table 102) has very marked permanent hardness. The 
character of several miscellaneous samples of Missouri River water is 
shown by Table 105. 

Below the mouth of the Kansas, northwest of Independence, Jack- 
son County, Mo., Big Blue River "^ empties into the Missouri. 

A test of the water of this river at Mastin, Kans. (analysis 60, 
Table 103), shows low temporary and permanent hardness. 

Table 102. — Assays of water of tributaries of Kansas River and of those of Missouri River 
between the mouths of Nemaha River and Kansas River. 

[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 




1907. 


1 


Sept. 23 


2 


...do 


3 


Dec. 13 


4 


Sept. 21 


5 


Sept. 20 


ti 


Sept. 19 


7 


Sept. 16 


8 
9 


Sept. 18 


10 


...do 


11 


Sept. 9 


12 


Sept. 1 


13 


Sept. 5 


14 


...do 


15 


...do 


16 


Sept. 28 


17 


Sept. 8 


18 


Sept. 5 


19 


Sept. 2 


20 


...do 


21 


...do 


22 


Aug. 2 


23 


...do 


24 


Aug. 1 


25 


Aug. 12 


26 


Aug. 1 



Stream and place. 



Iron 

(Fe). 



Car- 
bonate 
(CDs). 



Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 



Sul- 
phate 
(SO,). 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



North Fork of Smoljy Hill River, southwest of 
W inona 

Smoky Hill River at Russell Springs 

Ladder Creels at Hoppers Dam, 7 miles north- 
west of Scott City 

Castle HiU Creek at G ove 

Big Creek at Ellis 

Big Creek at Hays 

Smoky Hill R iver at Ellsworth 

Saline River above Salt Creek north of RusSell . . . 

Salt Creek north of Russell & 

Saline River below Salt Creek north of Russell . . . 

West Fork of Wolf Creek at Lucas 

Gypsum Creek southwest of Solomon 

Deer Creek at Missouri Pacific Ry. bridge, Kir- 
win 



Tr. 
0.0 

.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
Tr. 
.0 



0.0 
12 



Beaver Creek at Missouri Pacifle Ry. bridge, 

Gaylord 

North Fork of Solomon River, 30 rods above 

South Fork, south of Cawker 

South Fork of Solomon River at Morland 

South Fork of Solomon River at ford west of 

waterworks, Stockton 

South Fork of Solomon River, 60 rods above 

North Fork, south of Cawker 

Pipe Creek at Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. 

bridge, Minneapolis ." . 

Salt Creek at Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. 

bridge, west of Minneapolis 

Solomon River at Solomon 

Abilene (Mud) Creek at Abilene 

Turkey Creek at road bridge south of Abilene. . 
Chapman Creek at Union Pacific Ry. bridge, 

Chapman 

Lime Creek at Herington 

Lyons Creek at Missouri, Kansas & Texas Ry. 

bridge, Wreford 



317 

77 
218 
245 
232 
257 



240 
400 



211 

263 

207 
269 

180 

211 

163 

363 

274 
278 
258 

202 
333 



406 
238 

42 
104 

Trace. 

Trace. 
362 
362 



362 
574 
100 

38 

90 

58 
Trace. 

112 

97 

Trace. 

287 
176 
574 
(«) 

389 
59 



30 
41 

40 

30 

15 

19 

461 

469 

3,270 

670 

2,188 

19 

14 

24 

14 
10 

14 

19 

14 



214 
35 
40 



a Not to be confused with the river of the same name that flows into Kansas River at Manhattan. 
h By F. W. Bushong. 
CSO4 greater than 626. 



MISSOURI EIVER ABOVE KANSAS CITY. 



205 



Table 102. — Assays of water of tributaries of Kansas River and of those of Missouri River 
between the mouths of Nemaha River and Kansas River — Continued. 



No. 


Date. 




1907. 


27 


Oct. 3 


28 


Oct. 2 


29 


Feb. 22 


30 


Feb. 25 


31 


Feb. 13 


32 


Feb. 18 


33 


Feb. 15 


34 


Feb. 19 


35 


Oct. 10 


36 


F«b. 15 


37 


Feb. 16 


38 


...do 


39 


Feb. 14 


40 


July 24 


41 


Aug. 14 


42 


Aug. 27 


43 


...do.... 


44 


July 16 


45 


July 15 


46 


(<=) 


47 


(<=) 


48 


C) 


49 


(^) 


50 


June 16 


51 


(«) 


52 


(^) 


S3 


(d) 


54 


Nov. 3 


55 


July 9 


56 


...do 


57 


...do 


58 


Jan. 4 


59 


...do 


60 


Jan. 5 


61 


July 22 


62 


July 20 


(« 


...do 


64 


July 17 


65 


July 12 



Stream and place. 



South Fork of Republican River at St. Francis. . 

Beaver Creek at Cedar Bluffs 

White Rock Creek at Republic 

Buffalo Creek at road bridge, Yuma 

Wild Cat Creek at Manhattan a 

Spring Creek at Union Pacific Ry. culvert, 
Marysville 

Big Blue River above Little Blue River, north- 
west of Blue Rapids 

Mill Creek at dam of Eureka Mills, Washington.. 

Little Blue River at Hanover 

Little Blue River at dam of Blue Valley Gyp- 
sum Co., Blue Rapids '. , . 

Vermilion Creek, ft Frankfort 

Black VermUion River at Missouri Pacific Ry. 
bridge, Frankfort 

Fancy Creek at Union Paciflc Ry. bridge, Ran- 
dolph 

Vermhion River at road bridge 5 miles east of 
Wamego , 

MiU Creek at Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. 
bridge, Ahna 

Big Soldier Creek at park. North Topeka 

Shonganunga Creek at Lake Street bridge,Topeka 

Little Delaware River at Horton 

Elk Creek north of Campbell CoUege, Holton 

South Fork Sweezy Creek, Lakeview 

S weezy Creek, Lakeview 

Lake, Lakeview 

Martin Creek, Lakeview 

Mud Creek, 2| miles north of Lawrence 

Rock Creek near mouth, southwest of LawTcnce 

Washington Creek near mouth, southwest of 
Lawrence 

Wakarusa Creek at bridge, southwest of Law- 
rence 

Wakarusa Creek south of Lawrence 

Big Stranger Creek above Nine Mile Creek at 
Ltnwood 

Nine Mile Creek at road bridge, Linwood 

Big Stranger Creek at Union Paciflc Ry. bridge, 
Ijinwood '. 

Cedar Creek west of Olathe 

RaUroad pond on Mill Creek, Olathe 

Mill Creek at Holliday 

South Branch of Nemaha River at Seneca 

Walnut Creek at Padonia , 

Nemaha River,'! 3 miles south of Falls City, Nebr. 

Wolf Creek at Fanning 

Three Mile Creek at Cherokee and Broadway 
streets, Leavenworth 



Iron 

(Fe). 



0.0 
.0 
Tr. 
1.5 
Tr. 

Tr. 

Tr. 

Tr. 

.0 

.0 
Tr. 



Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 



12 
0.0 

.0 
11 

.0 

.0 

.0 
.0 
.0 

.0 
.0 



Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 



210 
227 
313 
307 
301 



163 
180 
158 

138 

161 



128 

166 

295 
316 
215 
161 
313 
243 
271 
123 
304 
307 
316 



316 
369 



307 

219 
144 

93 
254 
273 
197 

66 
149 



Sul- 
phate 
(SO4). 



Trace. 

Trace. 
IfiO 
256 

Trace. 

Trace. 

36 

47 

Trace. 

53 

42 



44 
Trace. 



Trace. 

97 

62 
Trace. 
Trace. 

46 
Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 

40 

Trace. 

48 
Trace. 

Trace. 
Trace. 

Trace. 
106 
35 
73 

Trace. 
42 

Trace. 

Trace. 



Chlo- 
rine 

(CI). 



15 
20 
20 
859 
14 



a Above sewer outfall of Kansas Agricultural College. 

b Local name of west branch of Black Vermilion River. 

c Assay by Edward Bartow, June 3, 1905. • 

d Assay by Edward Bartow, June 6, 1905. 

e In flood. 

Note.— Trace in the sulphate column means less than 35 parts per million; trace in the iron column 
means less than 0.5 part per million. ' 



206 



QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 





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MISSOUEI EIVER ABOVE KANSAS CITY. 



207 



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Q) 























































































































































































































































3 


3 C S 
3 3^ 
































































cr 


lOOC 




CO 




CC 


(M (N CT 




ir 


y^ 












































































































^ 
























^ ^ 














>>>;^ 










































03 
Pi 
03 


s 


li 


ir 










oc 


















,p 














cc 














ai 


rt" 


*"'-j 






.-1 00 00 00 00 00 05 1- 






















(NI> 


































II 


II 


II II 
































































<j<<<!;<1 




e^ 


00 CO t- to 1^ CO (N CC 


00 cq 


CO 

CO CO 


CO 




IC 


rt oi~- 




t^ 


CC 


(M 






(N 




Cq(NTt<(M05(M<M>- 


rt(N 






IM<N 




<N .-KM 










(M iC 


. 






r-l 




>n O M (M O Tt< CO o- 


COO- 


CO CO 




C<!(M 






00 u- 


cc 




cc 


-^O 







































































c3 

a 

1 







































t^ 




03 




















'* 




(M 


oc 


JD^ Tf 


COC^ 


t^ 


oc 


^ 






- 




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b^ 


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CO Oc^ 


10 1- 


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c^ 


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CO ^- c<i r- -^^j^ lO th p- 




-^ 




■^ 


CO 


















0) 




























































u 



























-O OJ Oi 'U ^ 


























■~ 


a 






-£ 


■^ 
















s 










=3 




=^ 


^ 












ca 




.03 








c 


















C 





























c 




r 












T 


























X! 




T 


















a 












a 


e 
















a. 










fl 




c 


« 












u. 




a. 












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« 
















<« 








> 


^ ^ 


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p:i 


m^ 


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p^ 


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Tl 






OS 


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fV 








Mh 




P^h^ 








.p^ 


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f^ 






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u ^ 














^ 

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k 










ir 


0. 

• P 




a. 


^^1 


P< 


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H 


> 

01 




































>.2 c 


•-. c 






« i 


C 




c 












e 


PC 


rtpq 












e 








Ph 


p: 


rt^p: 


p^^ 


~ H 03P 


•^S 


H 


Si 


H 




ffl 






c 
c 






c 


c 


c 


c 


c 


1- 

c 


rt c 

ip'C 


c 


c 


i 


c 


tci t: c 


ttf c 

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FeRy 
E. Cur 
nion P 


§1 




2 


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n> 




tf C 




3 










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(^ 












P^i: 


C- 


^ 


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i 


h 






< 


c_ 


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s 


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PS 


<^ 


M 


05 




H 


2 


1 ^ 

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< 




03 

P< 

o 

Eh 

> 
o 


below Topeka. 
above Tojoeka. 
below Topeka. 
above Topeka. 
below Topeka. 


^ "a 
c 


p 

c 

-ir 

o: 


C 


E- 

c 


c 


8 
l| 

cac 
fptr 


> 

> 
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a. 




cc 

a 
> 
c 


Its 
til 


03 


-f- 

£ 



Q 

ca 
•dta 


> 

c 

a 


1 
IP 

1 

ta 


1! 

ro 03 


i 




1 


ansas River 
ansas River 
ansas River 
ansas River 
ansas River 


ill 

P. 03 5 


a; > > 
III 


c 
c3 '^ 


it 


c 


c8 03^ 


i 


fe6 

Hi 


6 


^ 03 


03 


t> > 
Sp 

03 C! 

si 


3 
ft 

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tdta 

ill 

Pn.S.S 


^ 


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W iMMMMMfci 


MU 


W!^ 


fi(^ 


P 


P 


t^: 


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^ 


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Ph 


WW 




Ov 


« 


CO(M 






rr 


00 cr 


o 


C' 




^ 


<> 


coooc^ 


00 


(N 


oc 


C<1 




^, 


+ >>>^ 


























§gci 














^ 




-:^ 03 (3 






































^ 








'"' 


'H 






rH 






"" 










rH 


"^ 




"^ 


-a 
































CC 














1 


1.^ 

^ .as 


c 
d 

1-5 


c 


a 


<;c 


1-5 


P 




p 
a 




o! 03.5 


^ 
a 


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5 


1 

!3 


c 


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p 


■S 3 
e J3 


Ojl Jl 

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lOOb-COOiO'-iOl CO-* »OCO 



0OO5 O 1— I (M CO -rf lO CD r* 00 osc 



C<1 (N CM cq C^ C^ (M CO CO « COCO COCO CO COCO -^ Tt<Th^ -^-^ 



208 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 









«: 


^H 


c<" 




oc 






"^ 


IT 


1 








QC 


CO Oi 











C^ 


s^ 






-S' 


M-CO 


IT" 






-^ 


00 


OS 




















^s 




















■5 Po- 






Tf 


'I « 








<y 


01 






0- 


Tjl ^ 












os ''•2 




















Ui'oS 




















3 




















6 <s> ^ 

S.9o 










00 


0(M C 


moo CO (M 


■* 


CO 


10 


Oi '^ 


CD r^ coo- 


CO 






a<-^ 




i-H 


'^ 






1 ^'S 




































































0^ 
























■350 


t~a>c 


CD^iOO' 





^ 


a> 


t^ t^ 


COO5 0C — 





cr 


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, a)^ 


























t-i +-i ^ 


























iS csO 


























.2 CO 


























m^M 




















































o>^ 






o- 


05 000"- 


00 


c- 


CO 


c3 dO 

So 








i-*05 C^ 


s 










1— 


T-H T— I 1— 






T— 1 
















^^ 
















aoSw 

.5 '^.S + 










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Tti(MC 


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Us 








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t^ir 


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t- 


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d 








»<i 




ffl 












c 










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03 












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c 




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c 


c 


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c 


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cocker 


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cr 


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oiaioc 


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4) 
















a- 


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CO 


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ft 




t-<(N (M 












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6 


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CO 


1 



MISSOURI EIVER ABOVE KANSAS CITY. 



209 






oooooooo 

i-HCO-rt^OOOOOO'^O 



TjlCO'^lOiOTjioO.— I 



oooooooooooooooooo 

Cr.Ot^CCCOT— lOcOCDCMOOCTiTj^OOOOi— I 

oTod T-H -t^' u^od c^o oTc^o oTu^iC lJ^^^co CO 

CCC^fNiMtOOat^OOOi-HOOOiOOfyDOt^ 






m 






CM i-Hi-H 



a^'i^-;t<t— (O(N-^0^c0O^"^O»O00CD00(M 

<N rH Oi »-< lO Oi t^ CO CO OO CM 00 CO T— I o^ CO 

Y-i-^COCO^OCOOOt^^CMOiCOOOt^ 



^"SQj agl„^'§. 



«ai 



« <^MPh ■ 



oooooooo 

OTfrHOOCC-HCOCO 

Oi'^0000^»O_COCO 

Gio"odcrcq oTo'^r-T _ _ , . . . , . . 

CO O^ -^ -rf CO CO C^ t-l 1—* (M CS T— I 1— I *0 00 O 03 00 00 CO t- CD lO 00 -^ -^ CD 



oooooooooooooooooo 

oOi— 'cOi— (cOiro<:OOOiOTjioocoOI>-CDiOT-H 

Or- IOOC<lTtHi-HrHCOTplOCOt>-i-iO<Ml001rH 

arT--rcdio"cdodarcrr-rcDc»cdcD '"^io'cD'odr-r 






t^ lO T-H CO Oi (M <N 

00 CO Oi ai 00 t-- CO 
ooooooo 



;oioicDoocDcoo2aicooocO'^t--oi 
Dcoi— (O'-'oaji^.ooooo-^i-ioo.-i-— ICO 



0000.-HT-l.-HrH.-H,-l,-l,-li-(,-Hr 



"^^A o Q^ g 



oooooooo 

OOOOOOO'O 
Oii-it^-^OOCNh-iO 



1 (N ■* h- CO lO O lO 
^ CO "^ ■'^ -^ CO CO T-1 



o o o o oo oooooooooooo 

OOiOOOOOOOOOcOOOOQO-^iO 
COOQiOrHOt-COr-COtOOOCOiOOcOiOOCO 

cdii^ooororcd"odco crTr-Tc^oo o otTo TjTo co 

COCNi— li— liOOt--ai00010it-t--iOO>OtOCD K3 



!^Si^ 



":)(Mt>OcDcDO»0 

o6t^o6oio6i>^i>^'<i^ 



Tj*COi-iC^!MiOO>OI>-T-l(MOCO.-HOt~^QOO 

I>lcDlOlOoco(^^co(^icoco(^iT--^ocol^^^o6 



DcOt^cD^OiO O COCOOiO'^'^CNiOCSCXMOiOO-^O'^OOCO O 

DC^-T^OOOi-HCS 00 005t--0:>LOi-<Ci,COCO'rOTPI>-CDlC(Mi— .O O 



■^■^■^■^■^■^1010 



3.S5 



COCOiOcOCO>Oh-0 



M cooooir 



CO t--iO lO ^ 00 ^ 

^ O 00 Oi T-H T-H (N '^ GO 00 00 g^ 



^li 



H (N C^ Oi xt^ 00 O 



cOT-i(N<NrfI— "^OJiOCSJO jJC0i0Ot^O»0 

i?4 CO (N c<i ■'^ r-H CO 1-i c^ c4 CO Eh lo CO CO 'c^co 



US ^o 



00"^00O-^00CD>O 
C0iCCMiOcO»O-rJit- 






GO »0 t~- 05 CO O "J^ t 
Cf:i T-H 1-H ^ CO r-- t-- c 
1-1 (M (N C^ iM <N (M C 



(M (N CO CO 



cO'^^t^oooi 'OOi-t,— ir^oo 
ioocoiocoo 'coi^-t^oicr— 



oooooooooooooooooo .3 






oooooooo 



3T3 S S 



ft"^ 



So 

MM 



05CM»OOO^H(rot^05T-HCMlOOOOMCOCMCOtO 
^lOlOCDCO-^CCCO-^-^lOcDTtlTjl'^^lOlOT^ 



Mag- 
ne- 
sium 
(Mg). 




en 


CD CO O 00 CM t^ *0 
(M C<1 CO C<1 CM ,-H i-H 


010.-I OCO ■ 
.-Hi-HtHCMrt ■ 


t^^ Tt^ ■ 




OOi-tfOiiOt-^t^iO 

OCOcDCOt-t-t^OO 


O: 


00 0> O 'S' ^ CD CM 
t^ tr- 05 00 CD »0 lO 


■ lOcO ■ • ^ 


■ CO CO r^ 


Iron 

(Fe). 


C.30 
Tr. 
.50 
.40 
.40 
.20 
.40 
.40 


2 


O lOOO o o 
■^COOCMOOCM-J'-H 


— 1 ^ IOOOC<1 CM 


o 

^O^ CM 


CM —1 CM 


CM 04 — 1 CO r-l 


■^^ ^ 



T-ICDCOrHOOOOOO 

cocscocococococo 



OiiOi-HCOOrfii— HOiO(MrHOll>-OiCOOCDiO « 

CO CO -^ '<i^ t^ tr- "* CD lo CD "* 00 -^ Tt< Tt^ (N eq (M bx) 



Ol lO O oo b- f-l Ol CD b- 

OOO CO Ol 01(N O O "-H 



Ot-H-" 1-Hr 



h- 1— < OS CO 05,"^ cococ^r-ir-Tr-^CTCD'rrooo 

O Ol CD CO CT^cq <M00(NOOlO00CDi-H<Nrt*O 

^r-cD'^cOOCOr-OiOCOOOOtN-^T-HOi(M 
r--rf01C<Ji-HC001CDi— iC^lOlCOiOiOOi— ii— (00 
CO C5 CO t-- 00 00 O 00 ^ Ol CO Ol C<1 to l>- Ol 

i-T T-T i-T c^ of w CO cd c<r i-h" ^ CD -^ CO 
ooo>ooooooooooooooo' 

lOt-TPCOC^OOOiOOOOOOiO'OOO 
COCvlrH O'^iO^i-'COCOOOOOfMOOCOC^O 

rn" T-H^ r-n" CO irJ C^' CO CO C<r T-T CO IC CO -^ 
C^C^Cq(M(NiOiOiO'^'^'*'<fTPTj*cOCOCOT}i 

►^K.^^ajojoit. 

9Sa;a;'aj^c^c3ftp.ftc3c3c3«"«';3 



T-i'MOOOt-b-Ol 

co'^oot--!ri>-Tj<w 

C^OiOTt*OOiOiOCO 



oooooiooo 
oocooir-t-oo 

lOOltNiOOO^'OCO 



(N i-HrH 




CO CO CN (>, (N (M C^J C 



^CJOOOOCUCDCU 

Oo:2;:z;Jzippp 



2 ^ 



'Tf'+'Tt^COCOCOCOCO 
CO T-H(N ^W(N ^ 

1— lyOOOOOOtO' 

000:2; :z;^;fiP 



COCOCOCOCOCOCDCOCDIOIOIOIOOIOTJI-Tf-^ 



'^'^'^c3cac3ftftP.lSc3'«"'^H 



77836°— wsp 273—11- 



-14 



210 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Dis- 
solved 
matter 

(tons 
per 24 
hours). 


187,320 
182,780 
146,080 
105,040 
75,220 
51,020 
43,580 
36,330 
34,690 
38, 150 
3,320 
2.860.0.30 




■* 1 






Sus- 
pended 
matter 
(1,000 

tons 
per 24 
hours). 


2,287 

1,820 

1,564 

1,074 

685 

292 

195 

95 

81 

87 

57 

21,566 


5 

•o 






Esti- 
mated 
mean 
dis- 
charge 
above 

Kansas 
River 

(second- 
feet). 


oooooooooooo 

-^OOOCOrnrot-COOOaCOCM 

r-»(Niooor-Tt.ioa50'*OT-( 


o 

s 






rH-Trt^^lO-S^CSOt^Ot-HOS 
OO-HOCOO^CDiOCOCO'^COO 


Run- 
off 
per 
square 
mile 
(cubic 
feet 
per 
sec- 
ond). 


oot^t^orf*oo^t^-*ocq 
d 












Mean 
dis- 
charge 
(cubic 
feet per 
second). 


186,000 
229,600 
175, 500 
137,600 
100, 600 
68, 150 
56, 000 
42,900 
41,100 
43,800 
35,200 
2,897,390 










Mean 
gage 
height 
(feet). 


00CD,-l»O00T-iO»O(r0O«3 












OiCIOiCOCOT-IOOOOOOOt^ 


Total 
dis- 
solved 
solids. 


OOT-l(Ma:roc330COCOTI<00 
COCOCC(N(N(NCOCOCOCOCO 


cq 

^ 








CO t^o »o o • 
o6ooiot>l .rHcocor^co 


2 


CO 


1 a>'T? 


t^— i-*oo3cooooa3ioco 






lO 


m^nm ,-i ,-h ,-! i-h ,-h ,-< 


1 '^^ 
^ft£ 


COCOT-HOlOCMt^lOQOOO 
'^OOasOiCSOOOOr^tM 


lO 


00 ■ 




lO lO 00 


CO (Td lO rH 1> ^ O 
CO lO »0 t^ CO t^ 00 


O 
CM 






Car- 
bon- 
ate 
(COs). 


ooooooooo .j_; 1^ 

o ^H i • 

a e j 


"^ 


Sodium 
and 
potas- 
sium 
(Na-f-K). 


CO CO t^ (31 
MtrOCOCM 




,-H OOCD CO lO 
COCOCOTPTP 


■* 
^ 


d 


Mag- 
ne- 
sium 
(Mg). 


; , 00 1 00 

OCO '(M-*^(MOC<<^oi 1'"' 


TT 


§11 




CO 


o 


Iron. 

(Fe). 


lOOO .■ OOOiOCOCOCD 00 
0-*£-MCqOOCO(MO(M 




CO 


(M 


d "^ ,-; • 




(MTj^lOtN^HOOOt^t-^CDOO 


S5 


o 
cri 


Coef- 
ficient 
of fine- 
ness. 


OGOi^--HT-,oooor^t^r^o 




o 






r-H T^rM^ 


Sus- 
pend- 
ed 
mat- 
ter. 


4,676 

3,147 

3,458 

3,013 

2,651 

1,677 

1,376 

878 

791 

792 

829 


O 




Ill 


OOOOOOOOIOOO 
OOOOOOOOt^OO 
Tti^cC Ot^Tt-ot^CSO-^O 

TiH~co <m" cq (n" oq !-<' ,-ri-rr-r,-H'~ 


i 




03 

o 


1 

o 


1907. 
July 14 
July 24 
Aug. 3 
Aug. 13 
Aug. 23 
Sept. 2 
Sept. 12 
Sept. 22 
Oct. 2 
Oct. 13 
Oct. 21 


c 

C3 


OV3 




1 

a 
1 


1907. 
July 5 
July 15 
July 25 
Aue. 4 


3 

< 


< 


Sept. 3 
Sept. 13 
Sept. 23 
Oct. 4 
Oct. 14 


Me 

Per cent 
drousr 



m 


(N fl 


> 






a 


^fe 






^X} 




CO a 


o 


-> y 


o 


!>> - 


W 


SS 




=3H 








X2 c3 


T) 


CUfV 




fe ^, 






P. 










o 


LT oT 






fl 


cqfi 


O 

a 


gm 




^rt 



fe o 



la 



I 

'. a 



MISSOURI RIVER ABOVE KANSAS CITY. 



211 







CO C 






o- 


CD 




CD CM 


c 




oc 


1 


n "^ m 




^ O 




CO CO 


t^ C31 t^ 


Ol 


^ig-S 








CO ■* 


COCO CM 


CM 


^ o o 






































(U 1 




















SS.a 




O ^ 




o 






T)( rt 












t^ 






■* -* 






iS-ci C 




















o c ^ 




















>§" 




















_o o ^ 


lO oo 


t> 


t^ -^ o6 (M(M CO C^(M t>^0 ^ 


OO 


3vo 


T-Hr-l rt.-l(>)(Mrt CI CM 




o "^ii 






1-^ 














I^ 










lO 


So 














o 










CM 


Is 


























. 0^^ 


C^ ^ OD OiCO CO OiC^ COCO 00 


CO 


JLh -u^ 


00 00 i-t aicvi CO T— o 00 1^ co 


c» 


3 So 


rH .— 1 .— I r— ( 




^p.^. 






' 1 QJ^ 














lO 














StaO 














r^ 


























CM 














•H CO 




























W^W 




























oi a 


o ^ cj ^o lo ocq ^c^i i-H 






t^ do 


00051000 CD rH t^Or-CO 






6AS3 


lO O CD CTiOO to CD Ol t^ CJi CO 


lO 


CO CO CO coco 1-H lO CM -^ CO T-1 


Tfl 


3 ft3"-* 






Sodi 
and 
tassi 

(Na4 










Ol ^ . 


■<J1 






-^ t^ t^ COC^l lO coco "^CO T-H 


lO 




T-*T-H t-Ht— (I— (0).-4,— It— (1— 1 








pi S'5" 


CD CM 'a^ t^ r^ CD lO Ol -^ CM CD 


t^ 


■<* lO -^ --J^-^ CD OO^P "^CD-^ 


■^ 


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1 



212 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Kansas River System. * 

PRINCIPAL RIVERS. 

The drainage basin of Kansas River lies between the basins of 
Platte and Nemaha rivers on the north and Arkansas and Osage 
rivers on the south. Its entire area is approximately 61,440 square 
miles, of which 9,459 square miles are in Colorado, 17,455 square 
miles in Nebraska, and 34,526 square miles are in Kansas. The prin- 
cipal rivers of the system, named in succession from west to east 
across the State, are the Smoky Hill, the Saline, the Solomon, the 
Repubhcan, the Kansas, the Big Blue, and the Delaware. Sahne 
and Solomon rivers are tributaries of the Smoky EQU. Kansas River 
is formed at Junction by the confluence of the Smoky Hill and the 
Republican. Big Blue and Delaware rivers flow directly into the 
Kansas. All of the large tributaries of both the Smoky Hill and 
the Kansas enter those streams from the north; the affluents from 
the south are all small because the divide that separates Kansas 
River Basin from the basins of the Arkansas and the Osage runs close 
to the Smoky Hill and the Kansas. The principal rivers that com- 
pose the Kansas River system are described in detail in the following 
pages. 

SMOKY HILL RIVER BASIN. 
DESCRIPTION. 

Smoky Hill River rises in the eastern part of Colorado in Kit 
Carson and Cheyenne counties, where its chief upper branches — the 
North and South Forks — are formed. Flowing'in general easterly 
direction to Logan County, Kans., the two forks unite near McAl- 
laster, from which point the main stream flows southeastward across 
Wallace, Logan, Gove, Trego, ElHs, Russell, Ellsworth, and McPher- 
son counties to the vicinity of Lindsborg, where it turns northward 
to Salina and there again turns, taking a northeasterly course and run- 
ning across Dickinson County into Geary County, where it unites 
with Republican River to form the Kansas or Kaw. The length of 
the river from its source to the point of junction is 310 miles, and in 
this distance the most important tributaries received by the river are 
Castle Hill Creek, Big Creek, Saline River, and Solomon River. Of 
these the Saline and Solomon are the most important. They enter 
the river from the north, but in general their courses parallel the main 
stream. 

The drainage area of the Smoky Hill comprises 20,480 square miles, 
of which 331 square miles drain to Saline River and 6,882 square miles 
to the Solomon. 

Both the North and South Forks of Smoky Hill River rise in an 
area of sand, clay, and gravel (Tertiary deposits). South Fork cuts 



KANSAS EIVEB SYSTEM. 213 

down to the sandstones and sliales of the Cretaceous in Cheyenne 
County, Colo., and the North Fork reaches the Cretaceous in Sher- 
man County, Kans., and the two forks continue in the Cretaceous 
formations to their confluence. The main stream flows in the Cre- 
taceous rocks to a point near the mouth of Clear Creek, a little east 
of Kanopolis, where it enters the rocks of the Permian series, in which 
it runs to the eastern edge of Dickinson County, where it cuts into 
Pennsylvanian rocks. Neither of the headwater forks of the river is 
perennial. 

In its course through the Cretaceous formations Smoky Hill Kiver 
varies considerably in volume. In the western part of the State, 
although rainfall is deficient, the flow of the stream is kept up by 
seeps and springs from the Tertiary deposits, but in the region where 
its channel is cut deeper into the Cretaceous formations its flow 
becomes wholly dependent on the rainfall, for the underground supply 
from the Tertiary deposits is withdrawn and the Cretaceous forma- 
tions, with the exception of the Dakota sandstone, are not water 
bearing. In this region evaporation is intense and at certain seasons 
of the year exceeds the rainfall so that the river dries up. East of 
Russell County not only does the rainfall increase, but the stream in 
its down cutting reaches the water-bearing Dakota sandstone and 
once more becomes perennial. 

The most striking features of Smoky Hill River are its extraor- 
dinarily deep channel — deeper, perhaps, than that of any other 
stream in the State — and its narrow valley. Through a large part 
of its course in Gove, Trego, and Ellis counties the main uplands on 
each side of the river are from 300 to 400 feet above the valley of the 
stream itself. These uplands have been somewhat eroded and have 
the rounded form characteristic of old age. The great depth of the 
channel has caused all the lateral tributaries likewise to cut deeper 
channels, and the country on both sides of the river from 2 to 4 miles 
back is so hilly that it is difficult to travel parallel with the stream. 
Farther west, in places where the main part of the bluffs are composed 
of Tertiary deposits, the country is less rugged and the channel grad- 
ually becomes shallower. In Gove and Trego counties, and the 
western part of Ellis County the rocks are cut in the chalk beds of 
the Niobrara formation which have yielded to erosion very easily. 

The valley of Smoky Hill River is, as a rule, narrow. In but few 
places west of Ellsworth is the flood plain more than a mile wide, and 
in many places it is less than a mile. From Ellsworth County east- 
ward the valley gradually widens. At Marquette it is about 2 miles, 
at Lindsborg it is nearly 4 miles, at Bridgeport it is approximately 
6 miles, and in the vicinity of Mentor and Sahna it is 8 to 9 miles wide. 
From Salina to Solomon the valley is 3 to 4 miles wide, and the bluffs 



214 QUALITY OF THE WATEK SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

are relatively unimportant to below Abilene, from whicli point they 
begin to appear on either side of the stream and are prominent down 
to Junction. 

The absence of pronounced bluff lines from Salina to below Abilene 
is explained by the character of the material in which the channel is 
cut. In this region the last remnants of the Permian rocks are 
exposed at the surface at the eastern part of the lowermost portions 
of the Dakota sandstone, a formation which is relatively soft and 
comparatively uniform throughout, so that it offers conditions favor- 
able for rapid erosion and the gradual wearing away of bluff lines 
until they are unimportant. Below Salina the river meanders show 
angular curves and typical oxbow forms. As these curves are con- 
fined to the flood plain it is probable that they have been produced 
since the river reached base level in this part of the course. The 
valley of the Smoky Hill is not extensively filled with fluviatile debris, 
as is the valley of the Arkansas River.^ 

In most places over its flood plain the Cretaceous floor may be 
reached by digging a few feet, rarely more than 20, and in many 
places Cretaceous formations are exposed in the river channel. These 
conditions show that the river has scarcely reached base level and 
probably as far east as Salina is still deepening its channel. As a 
result nowhere along the course of the river through the area of Ter- 
tiary deposits is much underground water found in the valley, at least 
it is not found in sufficient quantities to be of much importance in 
irrigation. It is true that in places where the detritus has reached a 
thickness of 6 or more feet, considerable water can be obtained by 
digging, but, compared with the water of other areas, this is of little 
importance. Beyond the bluffs, however, and out on the broad plains 
of the great Tertiary areas water in great abundance is found. The 
valley, therefore, presents the anomalous condition of wells along the 
stream being barren while wells in the high uplands, a mile or more 
away, and from 200 to 300 feet above the river, are very productive.^ 

Measurements of the quantity of water carried by Smoky Hill River 
have been made by the United States Geological Survey at a gaging 
station located at Ellsworth, Kans. From the records at this station 
the mean monthly discharge of the river from April, 1895, to Decem- 
ber, 1904, has been computed and the results are shown in Table 106. 

1 Rept. Board of Irrigation Survey and Experiment for 1895 and 1896 to the Legislature of Kansas, p. 87 

2 Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 2, pp. 35-39. 



KANSAS RIVER SYSTEM'. 



215 



Table 106. — Monthly discharge of Smoky Hill River near Ellsworth for period April, 

1895, to December, 1904- 

[Drainage area, 7,980 square miles.] 



Montli. 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. Minimum. Mean 



January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 



172 

213 

1,410 

1,834 

11,392 

4,856 

7,947 

862 

7,840 

1,390 

187 

268 



45.6 
57.2 
36.5 
93.5 

321 

410 

448 

256 

170 

477 

423 

347 



11,392 



257.0 



The United States Geological Survey maintained a sampling sta- 
tion on Smoliv Hill River at Lindsborg from November 27, 1906, to 
November 29, 1907. Samples were collected by P. E. Gibson. A 
record of the analyses of the composite samples is presented in 
Table 107. 

QTJALITY OF WATERS. 

The water of Smoky Hill River is high in chlorides and very high 
in sulphates. In fact, though in 19 of the analyses of composite 
samples (Table 107) the bicarbonates predominate numerically over 
the sulphates, if these constituents be considered in terms of their 
chemical equivalents it appears that in 28 of the analyses the sul- 
phates are in excess of the bicarbonates, and therefore the water of 
Smoky Hill River at Lindsborg must be regarded as usually belonging 
to the sulphate class. The periods when bicarbonates predominated 
over sulphates were from January 17 to February 7, and from April 
8 to May 1. 

From this it seems to be true that in tha spring of the year and 
at other times when the flow of Smoky Hill River is largely made 
up of surface waters, the bicarbonates predominate; at other times, 
when the flow of the stream is largely due to the influx of ground 
waters, sulphates are in excess. 

The permanent hardness of the water is very great, but the tem- 
porary hardness is not so pronounced (see assays 1-7, Table 102, 
analyses 1-6, Table 103, and Table 107). 

Although the waters of the main stream carry a heavy burden of 
sulphates the water of its upper tributaries, notably Castle Hill, 
Ijadder, and Big creeks bear much less. Now tests of underground 
water from the Tertiary deposits indicate that it is relatively free 
from sulphates except where those deposits are in immediate contact 
with the ''Red Beds"' and have become sulphated and in places 
salty by the upper movement of waters through the ''Red Beds," 



216 QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

which contain both gypsum and salt.^ It might be expected, there- 
fore, that in the western part of the State, where the flow of the 
river is hirgely kept up by water from the Tertiary deposits, sulphates 
would be low. The high sulphates in the Smoky Hill have been 
attributed by some investigators to evaporation, resulting in the 
concentration of the mineral constituents of the water, but if this 
were true the sulphates would be as high in the three creeks men- 
tioned as in the main stream. At the sampling points neither Ladder 
Creek nor Castle Hill Creek had cut down to the Cretaceous floor, 
and Big Creek had not flowed far in the Cretaceous deposits. It is 
entirely probable, therefore, that the river extracts sulphates from 
the Cretaceous shales that form its bed and that the three creeks 
pick up less sulphates either because they have not yet cut down to 
the Cretaceous rocks or have eroded them but little. From the east- 
ern boundary of Russell County to Kanopolis the high sulphates in 
the river may possibly in part be accounted for by the fact that the 
river is flowing through Dakota sandstone, certain beds of which 
contain sulphates in abundance. A marked increase in the chlorides 
in the water of Smoky Hill River balow Russell Springs is shown by 
assay 7, Table 102, and the high chlorides in the water of the river 
between Ellsworth and Salina is confirmed by analyses of the com- 
posite samples of the river at Lindsborg (Table 107), as well as by 
analysis 6, Table 103. The increase in chlorides results chiefly froiii 
the operations of the salt works at Ellsworth and Kanopolis, where 
great salt deposits in the Permian are worked. 

That the Smoky Hill is turbid a good deal of the time is shown by 
Table 108. About 34 per cent of the readings gave a turbidity value 
of less than 50, and nearly 40 per cent were 100 or greater. Two 
periods of long-continued marked turbidity were noted, one extending 
from March 18 to April 8, 1907, and the other from May 6 to 27, 
1907. A brief period of very high turbidity extended from August 
17 to 20, 1907. The highest turbidity that was reached while the 
river was under observation, 8,460, being recorded on August 17. 
The jump of the turbidity figure from 110 on August 16 to 8,460 
on August 17 shows the rapidity with which the river sometimes 
changes; so does the rise from 24 on July 15 to 2,000 on July 16. 
The lowest turbidity, 7, was recorded on July 6, 1907. 

The coefficient of fineness (column 5, Table 107) is obtained by 
dividing the suspended matter, expressed as parts per million, by the 
turbidity. The finer the material of the suspended matter the 
smaller the coefiicient of finensss. It may be useful to remember 
that when the coefficient is less than 0.65 most of the suspended mat- 
ter will pass through a slow sand filter. The high coefficient of fine- 
ness of Smoky Hill River indicates that the suspended matter is 
rather coarse; the sharp drop in turbidity after it has risen to a 
high figure points to the same fact. 

1 Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 5, pp. 74-75. 



KANSAS EIVER SYSTEM. 



217 



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218 QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Table 108. — Turbidity of daily samples from Smoky Hill River at Lindsborg, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, F.. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


190G. 


1907. 


Nov. 


Doc. 


Jan. 


l?eb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


1 ... 




110 

120 

75 

100 

ISO 

105 

100 

85 

65 

30 

50 

110 

115 

30 

32 

16 

45 

36 

16 

20 

15 

68 

IS 

95 

20 

212 

31 

34 

"iio" 

22 


23 

36 

26 

8 

""is' 

32 


34 
70 
65 
65 
60 
60 
105 


120 

95 

42 

43 

100 

90 

30 

30 

105 

105 

200 

90 

'"ioo" 

-70 
40 
GO 

100 

"ios" 

150 
100 
300 

""295" 
210 
305 
ISO 
135 
220 
1'.5 


150 


36 


"32' 
32 


50 
53 


2,640 

2,160 

2,650 

666 

60 

80 

95 

"""75" 

65 

50 

60 

15 

120 

120 

110 

8,460 

4.. 530 

3,372 

3,480 

100 

" iss" 

85 
90 
130 

'"ioo" 

95 
70 

18 


65 
80 






2 








3 










120 


4 




242 
220 
220 
170 
160 

3'! 

2j 
30 
23 
ISO 
145 
23 

""i70" 

130 

75 

"iso" 

95 
120 
155 

"iso" 




75 
60 




50 


5 




125 
125 
60 
120 
170 

""385" 
412 
210 
300 
235 
220 
215 
485 

""460" 
532 
485 
418 
320 
412 
500 


32 
30 

26 

'""27" 
27 


45 

7 

8 

30 

45 


70 


6 




80 


7 




"""45' 
40 
S5 
70 
32 
18 
60 


680 
270 

""is5" 

180 


45 


8 




80 


9 




16 
13 
27 
27 
25 
30 

248 
65 
43 
18 
15 

730 
1,000 

700 

425 

"i^o" 

135 
55 
27 
28 
27 
34 


■75 
65 
120 
130 
135 
135 
ISO 
160 
110 

""65" 

42 
50 

"""32" 

36 

42 
42 
65 


32 


10 




IS 


11 . . 






12 




"""55" 
3S 
42 
40 
24 
43 
33 
32 
18 
55 
27 
27 
33 
30 
22 
130 
125 
125 


60 
95 
120 
24 
2,000 

4, "000" 

700 

300 

40 

1.866 

3,900 

370 

""ioo" 

150 
613 
613 




13 








14 




50 
50 
70 




15 




80 


10 




45 


17 




18 


IS 








32 


19 








45 


20 








24 


21 




"126' 
125 
50 
45 
80 
110 
50 
80 
80 


70 
65 
30 
80 
90 
60 
80 
70 








18 


23 






24 




24 


25 .. 




45 


26 




40 


27 


135 
135 


45 


28 


210 
50 
80 


20 
30 
30 
34 


18 


29 - 


15 


30 ... 




31 






















103 


69 


103 


81 


1.32 


127 


254 


44 


663 


1,059 


68 


135 


45 







Note.— Turbidities over 50 were determined with a Jackson tm'bidimeter and turbidities of 50 or less 
were determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie M. 
Burlingame and Ilarvey G. Elledge; a few were made by Helen Ileald and Adelbert Morrison. 

In its course from Salina to Junction Smoky Hill River cuts across 
the central or Gypsum City gypsum area/ the most important 
part of which lies south of Smoky Hill River, north of the Chicago, 
Rock Island & Pacific Railway, and west of the Atchison, Topeka & 
Santa Fe Railway. The largest of the tributaries of the Smoky Hill 
that drain this central gypsum area are Gypsum, Holland, and Turkey 
creeks from the south and Abilene and Chapman creeks from the 
north. 

On Gypsum Creek the gypsum rock is exposed at various places 
along the east bank between Gypsum City and Solomon. Analysis 8, 
Table 103, and assay 12, Table 102 (pp. 206, 204), are tests of the water 
of Gypsum Creek, and clearly indicate the influence of the gypsum 
on the water, for it is high in calcium and sulphates. 

No test was made of the water of Holland Creek. 

The water of Abilene Creek is shown by assay 22, Table 102, to be 
high in sulphates, probably derived from "the gypsum-earth deposit at 
Manchester, which lies within the creek basin. 

1 Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 5, pp. 35-37, and pp. 58 to 65. 



KANSAS RIVER SYSTEM. 219 

The water of Turkey Creek is shown by assay 23, Table 102 (p. 204), 
and analysis 13, Table 103 (p. 206), to be the most heavily mineralized 
surface water tested in this investigation. The only other surface 
water of a comparable degree of mineralization is that of V/hitewater 
River (assays 40 to 42, Table 145, and analyses 22 and 23, Table 146), 
which also drains an area of gypsum deposits. Vfithin the catchment 
area of Turkey Creek there are gypsum-earth deposits near Rhodes, 
Banner City, and Dillon, and near Dillon gypsum rock also outcrops. 
The water of Chapman Creek (assay 24, Table 102, p. 204) carries a 
heavy load of sulphates, which is probably in part derived from the 
gypsum-earth deposit at Longford. Lyons Creek, the water of which 
enters the Smoky Hill a little above Junction, though much lower 
in sulphates (assay 26, Table 102) than are the waters of Gypsum, 
Holland, Abilene, Turkey, and Chapman creeks, carries an excessive 
amount of sulphates. These possibly may in. part be traced to the 
gypsum-earth deposit east of Hope on the west branch of Lyons Creek. 

Erasmus Haworth (by letter) says that in some places in Dickinson 
County the gypsum is exposed immediately at the surface, with hardly 
enough soil covering to hold water in contact with it an hour after the 
rain, and that the same is true in Barber County, a little farther west. 
So the high sulphate content of the streams that drain the areas of 
gypsum deposits in these counties is not surprising. 

SALINE E.IVER.1 

DESCRIPTION. 

The drainage basin of Saline River is wholly in Kansas and is 
3,311 square miles in area. The Saline rises in the southwestern part 
of Thomas County and flows nearly due east into Smoky Hill River. 
The upper course of the Saline is dry during almost the entire year, 
for it has not sunk its channel deep enough into the Tertiary deposits 
to be fed by their groundwaters. Farther east, .however, it cuts 
deeper and deeper into the Tertiary until north of Grainfield the 
presence of bogs and ponds shows that the valley has been eroded 
down to sheet water. Northeast of Buffalo Park Saline River has 
cut down to the Cretaceous floor on which the Tertiary rests, and in 
this it flows for the remainder of its course — a perennial stream, 
deriving its chief supply from springs in the Tertiary deposits and 
the Dakota sandstone. 

The valley of Saline River in the western part of the State is 
extremely narrow, but eastward in Ellis County it widens gradually 
to a mile or more, and still farther down it is 2 to 4 miles in width. 
At the head of the river the blufl^ lines are inconspicuous, but not far 
below the source the stream channel is sunk to a depth of 20 to 40 
feet, the depth continuing to increase gradually eastward until the 

' Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 2, pp. 39-40. 



220 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



river reaches the Cretaceous formations in Elhs and Russell counties, 
where the bluffs are in many places 100 feet or more high. In the 
vicinity of Salina, some distance back from the river, hills of the 
Dakota sandstone rise nearly 200 feet above the level of the water 
in the river. 

The name Saline is well merited by the river, for chemical analysis 
shows that it is one of the saltiest streams in the United States. The 
salt is acquired from salt springs, some of which occur in the very 
bed of the stream or in the beds of its tributaries, such as Salt Creek 
north of Bussell. The salt of these springs and creeks is derived from 
the saliferous shales of the Dakota, which occur near the top of that 
formation. They rest on a thin bed of lignite and are 15 to 30 feet 
thick; overlying them is a bed of gypsiferous shales 10 to 20 feet 
thick, and on top of all is a layer of sandstone 8 to 12 inches thick. 
This sandstone, lithologically as well as paleontologically, marks 
the separation of the Benton from the Dakota. 

The discharge of Saline River at Beverly and Salina is shown in the 
following tables: 

Table 109. — Mean monthly discharge of Saline River at Beverly, Kans., for the period 

April, 1895, to June, 1897. 

[Drainage area, 2,730 square miles.] 



Month. 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. Minimum. Mean, 



January 

February , 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July - 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 

a Maximum estimated 



" 108 

243 

67 

693 

3,000 

a 16, 000 

a 10, 000 

493 

92 

a 0, 130 



a 16, 000 



50.0 
62.0 
47.4 

126 

166 
,020 

430 

104 
48.0 

144 
54.0 
47.6 



192 



KANSAS EIVER SYSTEM. 



221 



Table 110. — Mean monthly discharge of Saline River near Salina, Kans.,for 1897 to 1903. 
[Drainage area, 3,311 square miles.] 



Month. 


Discharge in second-feet. 


Maximum. 


Minimum. 


Mean. 




240 

260 

1,340 

3,680 

7,580 

7,900 

3,370 

3,410 

3,920 

3,920 

424 

690 


40 
34 
24 
24 
18 
37 
22 
7 
6 
16 
15 
28 


83.0 


February 


83.5 


March 


163 




222 


May 


524 


June 


878 


July 


288 


August 


323 


September 


227 


October 


221 


November 


112 


December 


102 






The period 


7,900 


6 


269 






QUALITY OF WATER. 









The United States Geological Survey maintained a daily sampling 
station on Saline River at Sylvan Grove from November 27, 1906, 
to November 30, 1907. The collector was Edward Buehring. 

A record of the analyses of composite samples of the waters col- 
lected at this sampling station is presented in Table 111. The 
analyses show a very heavily mineralized sodic saline water. The 
chlorides and sulphates are very high, in marked accordance with 
the fact that the river receives large contributions of water from 
the saliferous and gypsiferous shales of the Dakota. The chlorides 
and sulphates in all but six of the analyses fluctuate in the same 
direction; indeed, the ratio of chlorides to sulphates is fairly constant. 

On the assumption that rise and fall of turbidity denote rise and 
fall in river stage, it appears from Table 111 that the total dissolved 
solids follow fluctuations in the stage of the river somewhat closely. 
This is natural, because rain, melting snows, and surface waters in 
general, are less highly mineralized than the spring waters that feed 
the Saline, and therefore dilute the river water when they reach the 
river in considerable volume. Analysis 7, Table 103, is a test of 
Saline River at its mouth. 

The record of turbidity of the daily samples from Saline River, 
Table 112, shows that it is not a very turbid stream. During the six 
months from December, 1906, to May, 1907, the samples only once 
had a turbidity of greater than 100, and for more than half of this 
period the turbidity was less than 50. Through November, 1907, the 
turbidity was always less than 100 and for more than half of the time 
was less than 50. During the entire time the Saline was sampled 
over 43 per cent of the readings were less than 50, and only about 24 
per cent of the time were they greater than 100. The longest period 
of high turbidit}/ extended from June 26 to September 5, in which time 



222 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



the turbidity was less than 100 on only one day. The highest tur- 
bidity, 10,080, was recorded on May 26, and the lowest, 5, on Febru- 
ary 5. The increase in turbidity was at times very great and sudden, 
as from 145 on July 15 to 4,080 on July 16, and from 160 on June 10 
to 1,530 on June 11. The coefficient of fineness. Table 111, indicates 
that the suspended matter is somewhat coarser than that of Smoky 
Hill River. Assays 9 and 11, Table 102, are tests of tributaries that 
are affected by salt springs, and assays 8 and 10, Table 102, show how 
the river is influenced by one of these salty tributaries. Paradise 
Creek, in Russell County, is said to have salt springs that discharge 
into it. 



Table 111. — Analyses of loater from Saline River, at Sylvan Grove, Kans. 

[Drainage area 2,300 square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made by F. W. Bushong in 
the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Date. 


t>j 


1 

T3 


6 


6 






M 

s 


§1 


d 

Q 




^8 


d 


d 


3 












•§ 


g§ 


w 


?" 


_j 


.s 


■w 




m 


B 




2 


m'a 


From— 


To- 


S 


s 

p. 
m 


1 
o 
O 




a 
S 


■3 

3 


1 
1 




a 




C3 
P( 

"3 

CO 




1 


a 



S 



'3 



1906. 


1906. 






























Nov. 27 


Dec. 


6 


65 


46 


0.71 


27 


aO.9 


114 


47 


738 


0.0 


370 


497 


0.4 


982 


2,623 


Dec. 7 


Dec. 


16 


33 


28 


.85 




1.2 


147 


56 


852 


.0 


382 


540 


.4 


1,108 


2,910 


Dec. 17 


Dee. 


26 


41 


25 


;61 


"55 


1.0 


152 


58 


865 


.0 


407 


566 


.7 


1,170 


3,086 




1907. 






























Dec. 27 


Jan. 


5 


45 


66 


1.46 


28 


1.0 


137 


46 


681 


.0 


327 


480 


.4 


980 


2,688 


1907. 


































Jan. 6 


Jan. 


15 


27 


44 


1.63 


23 


1.2 


148 


56 


807 


.0 


334 


541 


1.4 


1,086 


2,832 


Jan. 16 


Jan. 


25 


27 


31 


1.15 


44 


1.2 


151 


52 


' 777 


.0 


'427 


521 


.9 


1,004 


2,784 


Jan. 26 


Feb. 


4 


28 


31 


1.10 


49 


.6 


148 


51 


714 


.0 


320 


554 


.4 


954 


2,648 


Feb. 5 


Feb. 


15 


49 


56 


1.14 


20 


.14 


144 


52 


776 


.0 


406 


530 


.2 


1,041 


2,716 


Feb. 16 


Feb. 


25 


46 


45 


.98 


93 


.30 


145 


41 


726 


.0 


367 


462 


.4 


934 


2,566 


Feb. 26 


Mar. 


7 


37 


30 


.81 


86 


.62 


159 


55 


866 


.0 


374 


520 


.4 


1,131 


3,031 


Mar. 8 


Mar. 


17 


32 


30 


.94 


23 


.25 


115 


54 


774 


fcS.l 


311 


475 


.2 


960 


2,503 


Mar. 18 


Mar. 


27 


49 


56 


1.14 


18 


.8 


145 


59 


822 


.0 


336 


549 


.6 


1,118 


2,884 


Mar. 28 


Apr. 


7 


70 


54 


.77 


14 


.8 


144 


62 


934 


.0 


330 


427 


.4 


1,263 


3,200 


Apr. 8 


Apr. 


17 


51 


47 


.92 


13 


3.2 


151 


63 


971 


.0 


337 


607 


.4 


1,339 


3,357 


Apr. 18 


Apr. 


27 


44 


41 


.93 


10 


1.6 


142 


68 


1,021 


' .0 


345 


551 


.7 


1,380 


3,408 


Apr. 28 


May 


9 


41 


38 


.93 


12 


1.5 


134 


62 


949 


.0 


340 


582 


.9 


1,280 


3,176 


May 10 


May 


20 


50 


46 


.92 


.14 


.50 


138 


60 


1,005 


.0 


320 


621 


1.0 


1,348 


3,370 


May 21 


May 


31 


43 


42 


.98 


15 


1.2 


136 


67 


1,150 


.0 


322 


670 


.6 


1,580 


3,835 


June 3 


June 


12 


218 


147 


.67 


15 


.3.0 


120 


53 


862 


.0 


277 


498 


.9 


1,148 


2,880 


June 13 


June 


22 


75 


67 


.89 


17 


1.4 


116 


44 


689 


.0 


282 


447 


1.1 


928 


2,423 


June 23 


July 


5 


1,130 


1,330 


1.18 


35 


4.0 


97 


32 


295 


.0 


208 


273 


4.5 


368 


1,210 


July 6 


July 


15 


590 


511 


.87 


27 


1.2 


110 


24 


392 


.0 


252 


302 


1.7 


504 


1,485 


July 16 


July 


25 


860 


754 


.88 


28 


1.2 


114 


26 


238 


.0 


238 


245 


1.5 


276 


1,043 


July 26 


Aug. 


4 


240 


187 


.78 


27 


1.8 


120 


42 


444 


69.0 


225 


350 


.7 


592 


1,712 


Aug. 5 


Aug. 


14 


158 


150 


.95 


27 


1.8 


124 


45 


591 


.0 


263 


401 


1.0 


796 


2,106 


Aug. 16 


Aug. 


26 


916 


460 


.50 


32 


3.4 


84 


22 


182 


.0 


222 


153 


2.7 


224 


790 


Aug. 27 


Sept. 


5 


140 


141 


1.00 


31 


.12 


106 


37 


425 


66:0 


252 


296 


1.3 


564 


1,571 


Sept. 6 


Sept. 


17 


72 


71 


.99 


27 


.05 


125 


60 


905 


.0 


. 305 


457 


1.1 


1,023 


2,587 


Sept. 18 


Sept. 


28 


78 


66 


.85 


15 


.12 


142 


79 


1,022 


.0 


305 


578 


3.8 


1,448 


3,488 


Sept. 29 


Oct. 


10 


668 


646 


.97 


19 


.12 


124 


43 


555 


63.0 


290 


366 


3.0 


741 


1,998 


Oct. 12 


Oct. 


22 


46 


55 


1.20 


17 


.10 


148 


74 


991 


.0 


355 


562 


.6 


1,340 


3,366 


Oct. 23 


Nov. 


2 


55 


43 


.78 


18 


.18 


167 


61 


973 


.0 


355 


554 


.7 


1,300 


3,382 


Nov. 3 


Nov. 


13 


43 


25 


.58 


27 


.40 


149 


40 


932 


.0 


380 


554 


.3 


1,268 


3,191 


Nov. 14 


Nov. 

an 


29 


41 


23 


.56 


23 


.10 


109 


64 


914 


.0 


390 


544 


.6 


1,216 


3,010 


Me 


180 


160 


.93 28 


1.1 


132 


52 


760 


.0 


323 


479 


1.0 


1,012 


2,908 




of anhy- 




Per cent 






























drous r 


esidue 










1.1 


.1 


5.0 


2.0 


29.0 


6.0 




18.2 


.1 


38.5 

















oAl, 2, 



b Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 



KANSAS EIVER SYSTEM. 



223 



Table 112. — Turbidity of daily samples from Saline River at Sylvan Grove, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas. E. H. S. Bailey, director.) 



Day. 


1906. 












1907. 












Nov. 


Dec. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


1 




33 
56 
50 
95 
140 
32 
26 
32 
25 
24 
18 
65 
75 
24 
20 
20 
28 
20 
20 
15 
25 
28 
50 
45 
90 
85 
75 
30 
60 
50 
47 


34 
68 
42 
26 
36 
24 
18 
35 
24 
25 
18 
•20 
36 
32 
35 
30 
20 
34 
16 
10 
15 
60 
27 
24 
30 
36 
28 
28 
27 
36 
34 


22 
22 
27 
18 
5 
15 

""'"5' 
18 
32 
15 
30 
210 
90 
70 
45 
95 
95 
34 
38 
42 
32 
22 
40 
12 
42 
50 
20 


28 
34 
36 
38 
32 
30 
60 
43 
16 
34 
36 
50 
34 
13 
20 
36 
40 
45 
50 
50 
32 
43 
36 
50 
65 
55 
65 
65 


100 
70 
85 
95 
62 
60 
65 
40 
46 
65 
47 
75 
55 
24 
65 
65 
26 
53 
16 
50 
40 
58 
42 
55 
55 
34 
36 
65 
34 
20 


60 






180 
180 
120 
70 
160 
160 
125 
125 
135 
140 
130 
140 
115 
350 

"220" 
190 
1,000 
1,800 
966 
800 
650 
440 
370 
260 
322 
300 
240 
225 

*i5o" 


145 

"'i25' 
145 
110 
100 

"""so" 

70 
55 
50 
80 
70 
85 
75 
55 
65 

110 
90 
70 
60 
24 
65 
65 
80 
80 

120 
90 
70 
80 


4,000 
1,800 
425 
340 
225 
135 
130 

""'56" 
95 

"'eo' 

""'36' 
70 
70 
45 
40 
45 
65 
40 
50 
70 
60 
55 
60 
32 
32 
36 
45 
70 


60 


2 






632 
418 
350 
200 
200 
110 
190 
130 
190 
140 
145 
145 
4,080 
580 
500 
3,678 
1,666 
800 
765 
340 
304 
265 
160 
140 
340 
460 
240 
406 
210 
210 


32 


3 




67 
20 
35 

""34' 
48 
24 
40 
55 
33 
65 
60 
34 
55 
58 
65 

""ss' 

35 
45 
65 
60 


60 
36 
55 
45 
80 
55 
37 

160 
1,530 

120 
75 
90 
80 
65 

120 
65 
65 
70 
58 
60 
70 
58 


50 


4 




50 


5. 




40 


8 




36 


7. 






8 




24 


9 




24 


10 




15 


11 




70 


12 




50 


13 




70 


14 




80 


15 ; 




24 


16 




32 


17 . 




45 


18 




45 


19 




45 


20 




40 


21. 






22 




30 


23 




24 


24 




50 


25 




40 


26 




65 
32 
43 
22 
28 
34 


10,080 

4,590 

1.800 

933 


32 


27. . . 


45 
77 
48 
73 


70 


28 


30 


29 


32 


30.. 




65 
28 




31 










Mean 


61 


45 


30 


42 


41 


53 


45 


787 


600 


347 


83 


292 


42 



Note. — Turbidities over 50 were determined with a Jackson turbidimeter and turbidities of 50 or less 
were determined by 'comparison with silira standards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie M. 
Burlingame and Harvey G. Elledge; a few were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 



SOLOMON RIVER.i 



DESCRIPTION. 



Solomon River is formed by the junction of two forks. The 
North Fork rises in the southwestern part of Thomas County and 
flows northeastward to Kirwin, where it turns and flows southeast- 
ward to its union with the South Fork, south of Cawker, The 
South Fork heads in the southeastern part of Sherman County, and 
takes a slight northeasterly course to the point of junction. The 
headwaters of North and South Forks are not 10 miles apart but their 
courses are so divergent that the upland between the two in Norton, 
Graham, Phillips, and Rooks counties is nearly 20 miles wide and in 
the vicinity of Stockton and Marvin is 300 feet above the two val- 
leys. Both streams rise in a region of Tertiary deposits and com- 
plete their course in the Cretaceous. The upper courses of these 
forks are dry during the greater part of the year because they lie 
in a region of deficient rainfall and because they have not cut deep 
enough into the Tertiary deposits to tap the underground water of 



i Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, Vol. 2, pp. 40-41. 



224 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



those deposits. As they pass eastward their channels gradually 
become deeper and their valleys broader. At Stockton the valley of 
South Fork is about a mile wide and at Marvin, directly north, the 
valley of North Fork has the same width. 

From the junction of its forks at Cawker to its mouth at Solomon 
the Solomon flows in a valley which averages 2 miles in width, but 
in places measures 3 miles. The river flows in Cretaceous deposits 
to a point a little south of Minneapolis, where it enters the Permian, 
in which it continues till it joins Smoky Hill River. 

It should be noted that two of the affluents of Solomon River — 
Salt Creek and Plum Creek — carry salt water. Plum Creek, which 
is the less important of the two, carries the drainage of a small salt 
marsh into the river at a point below Beloit. Salt Creek is a rather 
large stream, though in its upper reaches it is often dry. In Lincoln 
County it receives the drainage of two salt marshes, one of which is 
on Rattlesnake Creek and the other at the junction of Prosser and 
Battle creeks. AU of these salt marshes are fed by water which is 
mineralized by the saliferous shales of the Dakota sandstone. 

The drainage area of Solomon River is 6,882 square miles. The 
discharge of the river as measured at Beloit and Niles is shown in 
the following tables: 

Table 113. — Mean monthly discharge of Solomon River near Beloit, Kans.,for period 
July 1, 1895, to June 30, 1897, inclusive. 

[Drainage area, 5,540 square miles.] 



Month. 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. Minimum. Mean 



January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 



1,160 

3,055 

1,160 

18, 500 

4,700 

8,740 

21,800 

24,000 

960 

6,760 

1,120 

930 



24,000 



72 

104 

108 

92 

14 

7 

7 

7 



109 

148 

161 

1,160 

290 

1,110 

1,720 

992 

143 

165 

245 

103 



529 



KANSAS RIVER SYSTEM. 



225 



Table 114. — Mean monthly discharge of Solomon River at Niles, Kans., for period 
beginning May 1, 1897, ending November 30, 1903. 

[Drainage area, 6,820 square miles.] 



Month. 



January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. Minimum. Mean 



410 

830 

5,002 

4,627 

9,946 

10, 602 

7,040 

7,091 

7,040 

7,780 

855 

490 



10, 602 



160 
169 
437 
320 
944 
1,380 
841 
750 
453 
451 
213 
150 



522 



QUALITY OF WATER. 

Although the Solomon and the Saline lie side by side, in basins 
having essentially the same rainfall, topography, and surface geology, 
the waters of the Solomon are not highly charged with salt. The 
explanation seems to be that the waters from the saliferous shales 
of the Dakota find ready access to the bed of Saline River, whereas 
to the bed of Solomon River they have made their way in but a few 
places. 

The United States Geological Survey maintained a daily sampling 
station at Beloit from December 1, 1906 to November, 1907, samples 
being collected by A. T. Rodgers. 

The analyses of composite samples. Table 115, show that at this 
place Solomon River carries much better water than either the Smoky 
Hill or the Saline. This is because at Beloit the Solomon has received 
too little ground water from the Dakota sandstone to become heavily 
mineralized. Still, the temporary hardness of the river is high and 
the permanent hardness very great, though the sulphates are con- 
siderably lower than in the Smoky Hill and Saline. The chlorides 
in the Solomon at Beloit, though high, are a great deal less than in 
the two other rivers at the places where the daily sampling stations 
were maintained, and the fairly constant ratio between sulphates 
and chlorides that exists in the Saline does not appear in the analyses 
of the Solomon. 

The chlorides in the river at Beloit are in part derived from salt 
springs on Carr and Hardscrabble creeks and from the seepage of 
the Waconda Springs, all of which are in Mitchell County. These 
salt springs originate in the saliferous and gypsiferous shales of the 
Dakota sandstone, and other springs having the same origin probably 
occur in the river valley above Beloit. 
77836°— wsp 273—11 15 



226 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

The total dissolved solids rise and fall with the gage heights less 
regularly than they do in Saline River, because the water of the 
Solomon is less heavily mineralized, being more like the surface water 
that reaches it in time of moderate rainfall. Thus only the heavy 
rains effect a marked dilution of the matter held in solution by the 
water of the river. 

The Solomon is one of the clearest of the Kansas streams, its 
turbidity (Table 116) being generally low. During December, 
January, February, and November, 1906, the turbidity did not 
measure above 50, and from December to June 27 it was never above 
100, nor did it rise above 100 in September. Over 66 per cent of all 
the samples had a turbidity of less than 50 and only about 13 per 
cent had a turbidity of 100 or more. The longest period of marked 
turbidity extended from June 27 to August 6, inclusive. The only 
other period of continued high turbidity extended from September 
30 to October 13, inclusive. The highest observed turbidity was 
40,458 on June 27, and the lowest was 2 on January 16. Turbidity 
of less than 10 was recorded eighteen times. There are great jumps 
in the turbidity, as from 35 on June 26 to 40,458 on June 27, and from 
140 on July 24, to 3,900 on July 25. The coefficient of fineness 
(Table 115) is less for Solomon River than for either the Smoky Hill 
or Saline. Still the suspended matter is fairly coarse and settles out 
rapidly. 

Assay 19, Table 102, shows the water of Pipe Creek at MiimeapoKs 
to be soft. Analysis 10, Table 103, is not greatly unlike the analyses 
of the composite samples at Beloit of the dates October 3-16 and 
October 18-28. Assay 20, Table 102, is a test of Salt Creek west of 
Minneapolis, and shows, as might be expected from the name, high 
chlorides. The creek receives the salt from salt springs in Mitchell 
County, the salt marsh at the junction of Battle and Prosser creeks, 
and probably from other salt springs. The influence of the water of 
this creek on Solomon River is shown by assay 21, Table 102, and 
analysis 11, Table 103, which indicate that Solomon River is much 
more salty below the mouth of Salt Creek than at Beloit and Minne- 
apolis above, being in fact so heavily mineralized at Solomon that it 
is comparable with the water of Smoky Hill River at Lindsborg. 
This change in the quality of the water of the Solomon is due to the 
fact that below Minneapolis the river has a considerable drainage 
area, in which the general character of the water is determined by 
water originating in the gypsiferous and saliferous shales of the 
Dakota and by a considerable drainage that enters the river from 
an area within which the occurrence of gypsum may be expected. 



KANSAS RIVER SYSTEM. 



227 



Table 115. — Analyses of water from Solomon River at Beloit, Kans. 

[Drainage area, 5,540 square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in tlie chemical 
laboratories of the University of Kansas, R. H. S. Bailey, director.] 









Uk 












1 . 




4^ 








i 


60 


Date. 




1 












d 


C3 


■V 






T3 


Si 






>. 


a 


si 

.2 


O 


?" 


o 




o 




O 


d 
5, 


0) 




II 






>x!^ 






■'3 


s 


'o 




P^ 


H 


S 


H H 





03--' 


"§ 


-2 


.g 




From — 


To— 


1 


ft 


o 


03 

3 


a 

O 


•s 


1 

C3 


O 


1 


O 


•3 


•| 


o 

a 


3 
o 


a 






&H 


m 


O 


CO 


M 


o 


;^ 


m 


O 


W 


m 


iS 


o 


&^ 


"^ 


1906. 


1906. 
































Dec. 1 


Dec. 13 


25 


14 


0.56 


35 


1.0 


112 


16 


107 


0.0 


337 


118 


0.4 


56 


534 




Dec. 14 


Dec. 24 
1907. 


18 


14 


.78 


19 


.9 


109 


20 


95 


.0 


366 


118 


2.7 


80 


615 


— 


Dec. 25 


Jan. 3 


13 


10 


.77 


32 


1.0 


107 


15 


82 


o8.4 


325 


116 


4.6 


72 


585 




1907. 


































Jan. 4 


Jan. 13 


20 


14 


.70 


37 


1.2 


116 


20 


70 


.0 


319 


118 


4.8 


58 


525 


0.8 


Jan. 15 


Jan. 24 
Feb. 3 


9 

7 


15 
7.4 


1.66 
1.06 


48 
51 


1.6 

.8 


109 
91 


15 
12 


98 
94 






134 

148 


4.4 
3.0 


"n" 


655 
602 


.6 


Jan. 25 


" a" 2." 4 


"208 


.6 


Feb. 4 


Feb. 24 


19 


9 


.47 


39 


.20 


94 


13 


74 


.0 


303 


71 


3.9 


57 


544 


.9 


Feb. 25 


Mar. 6 


17 


8.4 


.49 


95 


.20 


94 


18 


95 


.0 


317 


112 


4.8 


62 


625 


.7 


Mar. 7 


Mar. 16 


22 


19 


.86 


28 


.18 


95 


15 


72 


.0 


306 


110 


3.0 


50 


509 


1.6 


Mar. 17 


Mar. 26 


50 


12 


.24 


31 


4.0 


89 


8.2 


76 


.0 


300 


103 


1.0 


54 


514 


.9 


Mar. 27 


Apr. 6 


47 


29 


.62 


29 


.6 


91 


10 


85 


a5.3 


302 


110 


.4 


66 


544 


1.1 


Apr. 7 


Apr. 17 


52 


42 


.81 


28 


1.6 


95 


15 


83 


al.Q 


330 


113 


.6 


46 


552 


.6 


Apr. 27 


May 6 


32 


19 


.59 


24 


2.4 


98 


19 


83 


.0 


327 


110 


1.0 


64 


526 


1.2 


May 7 


May 16 


41 


26 


.63 


28 


.9 


98 


9.3 


76 


.0 


305 


108 


1.5 


63 


527 


1.5 


May 17 


May 27 


36 


24 


.67 


32 


1.1 


94 


3 


106 


al4.0 


295 


118 


1.5 


98 


606 


1.2 


May 28 


June 6 


46 


26 


.56 


30 


.8 


99 


19 


104 


.0 


333 


117 


1.8 


88 


617 


1.5 


June 7 


June 16 


67 


55 


.82 


31 


2.0 


82 


15 


72 


.0 


267 


102 


2.7 


49 


476 


1.4 


June 17 


June 26 


50 


43 


.86 


39 


2.0 


86 


20 


83 


.0 


295 


101 


3.5 


60 


508 


1.5 


June 27 


July 8 


7,767 


4,526 


.58 


34 


5.0 


73 


17 


53 


.0 


218 


92 


12.0 


36 


428 


4.0 


July 9 


July 18 


156 


102 


.65 


51 


3.0 


91 


20 


61 


.0 


272 


99 


2.8 


32 


460 


1.4 


July 19 


July 28 


750 


579 


.77 


36 


6.0 


66 


12 


42 


.0 


165 


76 


5.5 


22 


330 


2.3 


July 29 


Aug. 7 


195 


146 


.75 


28 


4.0 


80 


25 


67 


.0 


254 


83 


7.5 


50 


429 




Aug. 8 


Aug. 17 


32 


26 


.81 


39 


.50 


102 


22 


97 


.0 


340 


115 


2.7 


78 


573 




Aug. 18 


Aug. 29 


90 


66 


.73 


29 


1.4 


77 


14 


60 


.0 


240 


69 


4.0 


40 


380 




Aug. 30 


Sept. 11 


49 


33 


.67 


34 


.10 


78 


16 


74 


O12.0 


237 


77 


3.2 


54 


437 




Sept. 12 


Sept. 21 


43 


34 


.79 


36 


.03 


84 


19 


106 


.0 


305 


97 


2.3 


96 


570 




Sept. 22 


Oct. 2 


34 


78 


2.30 


22 


.14 


50 


21 


138 


.0 


135 


131 


1.2 


130 


506 




Oct. 3 


Oct. 16 


188 


131 


.70 


23 


.12 


66 


13 


66 


.0 


200 


74 


4.0 


54 


373 




Oct. 18 


Oct. 28 


35 


24 


.68 


37 


.14 


96 


18 


111 


.0 


320 


115 


1.2 


104 


613 




Oct. 29 


Nov. 7 


34 


17 


.50 


31 


.14 


109 


22 


114 


.0 


360 


125 


1.2 


106 


664 




Nov. 8 


Nov. 18 


40 


13 


.32 


35 


.10 


112 


22 


109 


.0 


372 


133 


.9 


101 


656 




Nov. 19 


Dee. 5 
an 

of anhy- 


33 


18 


.54 


34 


.10 


87 


21 


114 


.0 


367 


132 


.3 


90 


594 




Me 


313 


194 


.75 


35 


1.4 


92 


16 


86 


.0 


294 


108 


3.0 


67 


534 




Per cent 
































drous r 


esidue 








6.3 


.4 


16.6 


3.0 


15.6 


26.0 




19.5 


.5 


12.1 





















a Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 
Note.— Analyses from December 1, 1906, to February 3, 1907, and from March 17 to November 18, 1907, 
by F. W. Bushong; from February 4 to March 16 and from November 19 to December 5, 1907, by Archie J. 
Weith. 



228 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Table 116. — Turbidity of daily samples from Solomon River at Beloit, Kans. 
[Readings made in ttie chemical laboratories of tlie University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


Dec, 
1906. 


1907. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1 


25 
32 
28 
10 
15 


14 
. 14 
19 
20 
18 
24 
30 
24 
30 
15 
22 
4 
14 

'""5' 
2 
8 
8 
5 
12 
16 
12 
10 
5 
4 
5 
6 
5 
7 
13 
10 


7 
10 
5 
6 

7 

■■""s" 

18 
18 

27 
32 
32 
22 
12 
16 
16 
20 


13 
9 
12 
14 
14 
22 
24 
16 
30 
14 
30 
24 
20 

'""22' 
16 
55 
45 
47 
50 
48 
20 
95 
45 
47 
■43 
38 
38 
70 
15 
48 


47 
48 
26 
36 

"'62' 
47 
47 

48 

"'43' 
52 
56 
55 
75 
55 
38 
32 
16 
55 
35 
45 
23 
35 
55 
48 
20 
34 
55 
15 


15 
33 
43 
13 
55 
36 
36 
38 
22 
34 
32 
48 
70 
42 
48 
42 
42 

"'is' 

13 
13 
20 
34 
46 
42 
65 
65 
30 
55 
60 
40 


45 
38 
45 
48 
60 
34 
20 
85 
65 
65 
65 
65 
95 
80 
70 
55 
85 
40 
48 
60 
55 
27 
42 
40 
70 
35 
40,458 
34,776 
220 
550 


440 
220 
425 
400 

""'85' 
95 
115 
120 
120 
110 
120 
65 
48 
95 
320 
450 
295 
315 
175 
155 
170 
140 
3,900 
406 
1,300 
650 
265 
440 
365 


150 

125 

220 

110 

80 

110 

70 

27 

65 

27 

43 

20 

14 

50 

36 

16 

22 

65 

65 

45 

130 

160 

110 

95 

90 

75 

70 

80 

60 

35 

55 


Broken. 
50 
35 
60 
75 
80 
22 
70 
36 
32 
65 
60 
50 
45 
24 
65 
45 
36 
32 
24 
50 
45 
45 
40 
50 
36 
45 
50 
50 
165 


90 
475 
613 

"296' 

175 
230 
120 
120 
120 
80 
70 
60 

"'46' 
30 
36 
30 
60 
36 
36 
24 
32 
24 
36 
30 
.16 
30 


45 
36 
24 
30 
36 
50 
45 
45 
45 
15 
36 
32 
40 
36 
32 
50 
45 
40 
24 
24 
18 
30 
36 
40 
. 30 
45 
36 
36 
45 


45 


2 ... 


30 


3 


32 


4 


32 


5 


18 


6 




7 . 


22 
24 




8 




9 




10 




11 




12 






13 


32 
20 
32 
12 
15 
24 
24 
8 




14 




15... 




16 




17 




18 




19 




20 




21 




22 


i7 
10 
12 
13 
14 
12 
10 
11 
12 
10 




23 




24 




25 




;6 




27 




28 




29 




30 




31 














■Mean. . . 


18 


13 


16 


33 


43 


38 


2,581 


407 


75 


51 


112 


36 





Note. — Turbidities over 50 were determined with a Jackson turbidimeter and turbidities of 50 or less 
were determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie M. Bur- 
lingame and Harvey G. EUedge; a few were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 

The results of tests of the waters of this river and its tributaries at 
points other than the sampling stations are presented in assays 13 to 
21, Table 102 (p. 204), and analyses 9 to 11, Table 103 (p. 206). The 
water of Elm Creek, analysis 9, Table 103, is hard but treatable, and 
the water of Deer Creek, assay 13, Table 102, is like that of Elm 
Creek. Both of these waters are low in chlorides. The water of 
Beaver Creek, assay 14, Table 102, is much harder than that of Elm 
and Deer creeks. The water of South Fork of Solomon River at 
Morland is soft (assay 16, Table 102), but at Stockton (assay 17, 
Table 102) the sulphates have increased. Assay 18, Table 102, indi- 
cates that the water of the South Fork at Cawker does not differ 
greatly from that of the South Fork at Stockton, and that it is con- 
siderably harder than the water of the North Fork just above the 
confluence of the two forks at Cawker. 

REPUBLICAN RIVER BASIN. 
DESCRIPTION. 

Republican River is of the plains, its headwaters being gathered 
far from the Rocky Mountains in the table-lands of northeastern 
Colorado. 



KANSAS RIVER SYSTEM. 229 

The South Fork, which is here regarded as the continuation of the 
main stream, rises in Lincoln County, Colo., and flows northeastward 
to Benkelman, in Dundy County, Nebr., where it is joined by the 
North Fork, a stream that heads in Yuma County, Colo., and flows 
eastward. From Benkelman the main Republican holds an easterly 
course across the southern counties of Nebraska to Superior, south 
of which it passes into Jewell County, Kans. From the Kansas- 
Nebraska State line to Junction, where it unites with the Smoky 
Hill to form Kansas River, the Republican meanders southeastward, 
traversing 150 miles in covering an air-line distance of 90 miles. 

Republican River has been estimated to be 100 miles long in Colo- 
rado, 200 miles in Nebraska, and somewhat less than 200 miles in 
Kansas. Its drainage comprises an aggregate of 25,840 square miles, 
of which 7,920 are in Colorado, 10,410 in Nebraska, and 7,500 in 
Kansas. 

The channels of the several branches of the Republican in Colorado 
lie for the most part within the porous Tertiary deposits, but from 
the southern part of Yuma County northeastward the South Fork 
and the Arikaree, the principal tributary of the North Fork, have 
cut down to the Cretaceous beds. 

The valley of the South Fork of the Republican at St. Francis, 
Kans., is known as the St. Francis Basin. During the summer of 
1908 Charles S. Slichter and H. C. Wolff, of the United States Recla- 
mation Service, made for the United States Geological Survey a care- 
ful study of the basin to determine to what extent irrigation farming 
might be developed from the underflow of the South Fork. Some 
of the salient conclusions arrived at are quoted here from Mr. Wolff's 
report on the experiments.^ They are: 

1. The source of the underflow is the precipitation in the drainage basin of the 
river. 

2. The water-bearing gravel in the valley averages about 15 feet in thickness. 

3. The water plane at St. Francis, Kans., slopes down the valley at the rate of 10.7 
feet per mile. 

4. The underflow of South Fork of Republican River moves at an average rate of 17 
feet per day. 

5. The rate of movement is, in general, much faster near the center of the valley 
than near its edges. 

6. Better wells for irrigation can, in general, be sunk near the center of the valley 
than near its edges. 

7. There is no danger that the underground water in the valley will be exhausted 
by pumping. 

8. The water-bearing gravel contains enough large material to permit the use of a well 
strainer having openings as large as 1 inch long by three-sixteenths of an inch wide. 

9. Except perhaps in a few localities along the northwestern side of the valley the 
quantity of dissolved salts in the ground water is not large enough to be injurious to 
plant life. 

I Water-supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 268, 1911, p. 119. 



230 QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Throughout Nebraska the drainage area of Repubhcan River is 
gently roUing or level, and most of the western part, except the 
immediate stream valley, is given over to cattle raising. The soil 
of the valley is very fertile and large quantities of alfalfa, hay, and 
grains are grown. At some points in the western part of the area 
the entire flow of the stream is diverted for irrigation.^ 

The chief tributaries received by the Republican in Nebraska are, 
from the north. Frenchman River, Red Willow and Medicine creeks, 
and from the south, Sappa and Prairie Dog creeks. The northern 
tributaries he mostly within Nebraska, the southern within Kansas. 

Frenchman Creek has its source in springs from the Tertiary and 
in its upper course has cut deep steep-walled canyons, but farther 
down, where the slopes are gentler, it has a wider valley which is 
eroded to the Pierre clay. Near its mouth the stream is shallow and 
from 75 to 100 feet wide. It flows over a sandy bed in which there 
are small sandbars and islands. 

Red Willow and Medicine creeks rise in canyons near Platte River 
in Lincoln County, Nebr., and carry their small volume of water to 
Republican River through deep narrow valleys in a nearly level up- 
land. 

Sappa Creek rises in Sherman County, Kans., flows northeastward, 
and ]oins Republican River near Orleans, Nebr. Its principal tribu- 
tary, Beaver Creek, drains a considerable area. Both Sappa and 
Beaver creeks lie for the most part in the Tertiary deposits, but as 
the rocks of that system are thin in northwestern Kansas, they have 
cut their channels almost to its base in their upper reaches and quite 
to the Cretaceous farther down, so that they draw upon the under- 
ground water from the Tertiary. The streams alternat ly flow and 
disappear beneath their beds in part of their course through Kansas, 
but in Nebraska their flow is constant. 

Prairie Dog Creek rises in the eastern part of Sherman County and 
flows a northeasterly direction through Thomas County, the north- 
west corner of Sheridan County, the southeast corner of Decatur 
County, diagonally across Norton Coim.ty, and the northeast corner of 
Phillips County, entering Republican River south of Republican Junc- 
tion, in Harlan County, Nebr. 

The principal tributaries of Republican River wholly within 
Kansas are White Rock and Buffalo creeks, both of which enter 
from the west and throughout their courses flow through the Cre- 
taceous. Buffalo Creek receives the drainage of the large Jamestown 
salt marsh and thereby increases the salinity of Republican River. 
The Kansas tributaries of the river from the east are unimportant, 
save only Salt Creek, which comes in at Lawrenceburg, and which 
carries the drainage of Tuthill salt marsh. 

1 Stevens, J. C, Surface waters of Nebraska: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 230, 1909, 
pp. 176-177. 



KANSAS RIVER SYSTEM. 



231 



The Republican flows over an alluvium of its own deposition, and 
its valley bottom lies from 200 to 400 feet below the bordering 
table-lands and loess of the plains. The stream is for the most 
part shallow and relatively wide, its sandy bed lying between low 
sandy banks except at places where the river cuts into bordering 
terraces, where the banks are higher and precipitous. 

Throughout its course in Nebraska the stream flows in Cretaceous 
deposits and is supplied by spring-fed tributaries. In the western 
counties, where rainfall is small and direct run-off rapid, the river 
bed is often dry, as for example, in midsummer, immediately above 
the mouths of Buffalo, Rock, and Frenchman creeks, but these 
streams revive the flow of the river below their mouths. Such 
alternating dryness and flow extend as far east as Superior during 
droughts, but only once in 12 years has the river ceased to flow 
at Red Cloud and Superior. 

There is excellent evidence that under Phelps and Kearney 
counties, Nebr., an underflow from Platte River sets toward Repub- 
lican Valley. Platte River in these counties has an abundant sup- 
ply of water in the basal beds of the alluvium near the stream. 
The seepage of the water from Platte Valley into that of the Repub- 
lican is rendered possible because Platte River Valley has a con- 
siderably greater altitude than Republican River Valley and because 
between the two rivers the great sheet of materials lying between 
the loess and the top of the impervious Pierre shale is pervious. 

In Kansas the Republican Valley averages 2 miles wide and is 
bordered on each side by bluffs 100 to 150 feet high. The channel 
is in the'Cretaceous rocks to Clay County, where the river enters the 
Permian, in which it continues to its mouth. 

The discharge of Republican River at Junction is shown in the 
following table: 

Table 117. — Mean monthly discharge of Republican River at Junction, Kans., for 
period July 1, 1895, to October 31, 1905, inclusive. 

[Drainage area, 25,800 square miles.] 



Month. 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. Minimum. Mean 



January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 



1,985 

6,230 

13,500 

12, 300 

47,520 

44, 280 

37,500 

25,000 

10,500 

5,150 

1,480 

2,443 



325 
280 
504 
375 
325 
290 
75 
20 
20 
35 
63 
173 



713 

1,010 

1,500 

1,250 

2,830 

3,180 

3,000 

1,490 

704 

515 

469 

554 



47,520 



232 QUALITY OF THE WATEK SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 
REPUBLICAN RIVER AT JUNCTION. 

The United States Geological Survey maintained a daily sampling 
station on Republican River at Junction from November 26, 1906, 
to July 27, 1907. J. H. Rathert was collector. A record of the 
analyses of the composite samples obtained at this station appears in 
Table 118. 

The water may be classed as a calcic alkaline water of consider- 
able temporary and permanent hardness. The chlorides fluctuate 
a good deal, but are never very high. A comparison of the mean 
of Table 118 with the means of Tables 111, 115, and 130 shows 
that the Republican carries almost exactly the same amount of 
bicarbonates as Solomon River, less than Saline River, and more 
than Big Blue River. It is evident, too, that the sulphates and 
chlorides of the Republican are far less than those of the Saline, 
about half as great as those of the Solomon, and about one-third 
greater than those of the Big Blue. This is what would be expected 
from a knowledge of the streams, for the Saline receives the largest 
contribution of saline and gypsiferous waters from the Dakota, the 
Solomon next, the Republican next, and Big Blue River the least. 

The result of a test of the water of the Republican River above 
Junction is given in analysis 19, Table 103. The figures do not 
differ greatly from' those for the composite samples of January 
17-26 and January 27-February 5, Table 117, though the chlorides 
are considerably higher than in any analysis given in that table. 

The turbidity of the daily samples from Republican River at 
Junction is recorded in Table 119. The river was very turbid 
all the time it was under observation, especially during June, when 
there were but 7 samples that had a turbidity of less than 1,000. 
During July, too, the river was remarkably turbid, but the record 
for the month is very much broken. There were 237 turbidity 
readings, a little more than 6 per cent of which were less than 50, 
nearly 84 per cent were over 100, and a trifle over 13 per cent were 
over 1,000. 



KANSAS EIVER SYSTEM. 



233 



fio 



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234 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Table 119. — Turbidity of daily samples from Republican River at Junction, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


1906. 


1907. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


1 




295 
267 
265 
240 
300 
370 
395 
248 
357 
290 
290 
270 
265 
290 
277 
215 
294 
150 
75 
90 
125 
135 
155 
120 
160 
165 
242 
195 
200 
270 
320 


372 
435 
535 
475 

"'"870" 
525 
375 

""'"iso" 

140 
155 
110 
135 
70 
36 
50 
55 
110 
160 
120 
130 
160 
150 
80 
60 
50 
47 
100 
55 
40 


60 

120 

60 

45 

48 

38 

45 

50 

120 

160 

263 

280 

310 

450 

336 

308 

440 

473 

520 

1,530 

1,464 

1,800 

1,800 

'"""906' 
700 
532 
562 


473 
440 
406 
385 
430 
632 
732 
666 

""""650" 
450 
430 


180 
210 
160 
210 
155 
145 
180 
200 
200 
110 
135 
165 


130 
135 
115 
125 
90 
155 
140 
150 
150 
120 

""iso" 

115 
200 
140 
150 
180 
150 
120 

75 
115 

75 
125 
115 

90 
115 

90 
120 

55 
210 
210 


1,530 
3,000 
2,898 
2,898 
2,315 
1,530 
1,530 
1,600 
1,000 
1,360 
5,796 
6,000 
6,600 


2,580 




36 


2 




32 


3 








30 


4 








65 


5 








40 


G 




1,800 

1,750 

1,000 

1,264 

833 

650 

500 

406 





36 


7 




70 


8 




32 


9 




24 


10 ... 




36 


11 






12 








13 








14 




705 
450 
400 
332 
320 
315 
370 
320 
260 
270 
160 
160 
210 
110 
150 
155 
200 
215 


135 
125 
180 
115 
220 
125 
130 
160 
105 
115 
200 
150 
140 
175 
150 
150 
120 






15 




4,800 

4,080 

3,600 

2,000 

2,000 

1,7.32 

1,000 

966 

900 

866 

866 

700 

650 

613 

3,900 

2,800 








16 




302 






17 








18 










19 










20 










21 










22 










23 










24 






650 
165 
105 
110 
90 
65 
125 
90 




25 






26 


270 
415 
470 
410 
340 




27 




28 ... 




29 




30 




31 














Mean. 


381 


236 


198 


497 


374 


157 


130 


2,398 


1,108 


175 


40 



Note.— July averages: July 2 to 5, 4,590; July 17 to 22, 3,900; July 23 to 25, 2,640; July 26 to 27, 3,000; 
July 28 to 29, 2,800. Turbidities over 50 were determined by a Jackson turbidimeter, and turbidities of 
50 or less were determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings were made by 
Carrie M. Burlingame and Harvey G. Elledge; a few were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 



SAPPA CREEK. 



A sampling station was established on Sappa Creek in Oberlin but 
was soon discontinued because it became evident that the flow of the 
creek there was intermittent. The analyses, Table 120, show the 
water to be very high in bicarbonates, the reason being that at the 
time the samples were taken the creek contained little else than ground 
water from the Tertiary. 



KA]SrSAS RIVER SYSTEM. 



235 



Table 120. — Analyses of water from Sappa Creek at Oberlin, Kans, 



[Drainage area, 1,180 square miles (estimated). Quantities in parts per 
cliemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S 


million. Analyses 
Bailey, director.] 


made 


in the 


Date. 


■-3 

3 

en 




.2 ^ 

5o 


O 
w 

i3 

02 


d 
2 


a 

3 . 

o 


a 

s . 

03 


■ga^ 

§.SM 

ill 


03 
O 








a 




From— 


To— 


ll 
el 


1906. 
Nov. 28 
Dec. 8 
Dec. 18 

Dec. 28 


1906. 
Dec. 7 
Dec. 17 
Dec 27 

1907. 
Jan. 9 


32 
26 

28 

9 


23 
18 
12 

5.9 


0.72 
.69 
.43 

.66 


41 
46 

45 

49 


ol.O 
1.2 

.7 

.8 


93 
102 
123 

87 


23 
23 
36 

21 


77 
68 
69 

64 


0.0 
.0 
.0 

6 7.0 


539 
605 
685 

406 


7.2 
8.8 
6.8 

21 


4.4 
3.5 
4.4 

3.5 


16 
18 
20 

12 


490 
542 
594 

409 




24 


15 


.62 


45 


.92 


101 


26 


70 


.0 


562 


11 


4.0 


16 


509 






Per cent 
drous r 


of anhy- 
esidue 








8.2 


.2 


18.3 


4.7 


12.7 


50.2 




2.0 


.7 


3.0 















a Al=0.3. b Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 

Note. — Samples collected by C. S. Maddox; analyses by F. W. Bushong. 

PRAIRIE DOG CREEK. 

A daily sampling station was maintained on Prairie Dog Creek 
from December 6, 1906, to December 5, 1907. Frank Swart and 
A. H. Mischke were collectors. 

A record of the analyses of the composite samples is presented in 
Table 121. 

The water of the creek may be classed as calcic alkaline. Inas- 
much as calcium and the bicarbonates are high and sulphates are 
low, the water of Prairie Dog Creek has high temporary and low 
permanent hardness. On the assumption that high turbidity gener- 
ally denotes high stage of the creek, it appears that the bicarbonates 
in the creek water commonly fall when the creek is high and rise 
when it is low. This means that the bicarbonates, being more abun- 
dant in the ground water than in the surface water, are diluted in 
times of heavy rains and melting snows, for then surface waters 
form a large percentage of the water flowing in the creek. The total 
dissolved solids rise and fall with the stage of the creek for the same 
reason. 

During the six months from December 5 to June 6, inclusive, the 
turbidity of Prairie Dog Creek (Table 122) was low. On only six 
days in this period did it exceed 100, and on only 37 days was it 
greater than 50. The turbidity of the creek from March 20 to 25 was 
high, and also from June 7 to September 4. Thereafter the turbidity 
fluctuated, but had a tendency to be higher than it was from December, 
1906, to June, 1907. Three hundred and one turbidity readings 
were made. Nearly 44 per cent of the samples had a turbidity of 
less than 50 and more than 38 per cent had a turbidity of 100 or more. 
Changes in turbidity were very sudden, as from 180 on June 9 to 1 ,464 



236 



QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OE KAISTSAS. 



on June 10, and from 255 on July 13 to 1,932 on July 14. The lowest 
observed turbidity, 3, occurred on January 15 and 16; the highest, 
14,400, was recorded on June 25. The coefficients of fineness of the 
several composite samples (Table 121) are rather high, and indicate 
that the suspended matter is fairly coarse. 

Table 121. — Analyses of water from Prairie Dog Greek at Long Island, Kans. 

[Drainage area (estimated), 900 square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in the 
chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Date. 


>, 




i 

a 


O 










d 



c3 


d 

0) 


d 
5, 





> 
^1 








■o 


(u a 


OQ 


<1> 




"-! 




o3 


TO s.-' 



+S 




<o 


_^'o 






-a 

3 

3 


s 

ft 

3 


'3 

o 


1 


i 


'3 

■a 




la 

.2 3 




c3 
3 




a 
■g 
3 


03 


From — 


To- 









H 


M 


O 


s 


1— I 


o 


02 





w 


m 


S 





&H 


1906. 


1906. 






























Dec. 5 


Dec. 14 


40 


31 


0.78 


33 


0.20 


87 


19 


31 


0.0 


386 


13 


0.3 


9.0 


355 


Dec. 15 


Dec. 25 
1907. 


13 


11 


.85 


37 


.40 


92 


19 


35 


a 12 


422 


16 


.5 


12 


399 


Dec. 26 


Jan. 4 


23 


16 


.70 


43 


1.2 


79 


9.5 


38 


012 


340 


31 


4.2 


8.0 


335 


1907. 
































Jan. 5 


Jan. 15 


13 


12 


.92 


^8 


.8 


92 


18 


36 


a 12 


390 


15 


4.8 


10 


379 


Jan. 16 


Jan. 26 
Feb. 6 


8 
11 


76 
14 


.95 
1.27 


38 
59 


.6 
1.0 


94 
96 


18 
17 


42 
38 






20 
20 


1.3 
1.1 


"14"'" 


403 


Jan. 27 


ois ' ' 


'435' 


430 


Feb. 7 


Feb. 16 


31 


32 


1.03 


49 


.02 


52 


18 


46 


.0 


359 


16. 


1.2 


7.2 


355 


Feb. 17 


Mar. 2 


60 


58 


.97 


59 


.20 


71 


14 




.0 


308 


13 


1.5 


7.9 


339 


Mar. 3 


Mar. 13 


47 


43 


.91 


64 


.52 


81 


15 


"37" 


.0 


353 


14 


.7 


8.0 


379 


Mar. 14 


Mar. 23 


101 


99 


.98 


30 


2.0 


82 


18 


34 


.0 


367 


11 


.9 


8.2 


337 


Mar. 24 


Apr. 5 


54 


41 


.76 


34 


1.0 


88 


8.4 


31 


.0 


403 


8.3 


.5 


7.1 


364 


Apr. 6 


Apr. 17 


39 


33 


.85 


30 


3.4 


88 


8.1 


32 


.0 


412 


9.2 


1.2 


8.8 


362 


Apr. 18 


May 4 


29 


22 


.76 


32 


1.6 


88 


17 


37 


.0 


384 


11 


1.1 


11 


354 


May 5 


May 16 


29 


22 


.76 


36 


2.0 


89 


6.7 


33 


.0 


387 


12 


1.6 


9 


358 


May 17 


May 26 


61 


52 


.85 


39 


1.2 


89 


5.2 


39 


.0 


415 


9.1 


3.5 


10 


389 


May 27 


June 6 


53 


41 


.77 


39 


.8 


90 


22 


39 


.0 


395 


8.6 


4.1 


11 


375 


June 8 


June 19 


672 


467 


.69 


20 


12 


58 


12 


46 


.0 


285 


14 


12 


9 


337 


June 21 


July 3 


2,435 


1,568 


.64 


49 


5 


54 


11 


32 


.0 


250 


13 


10 


7 


289 


July 4 


July 14 


610 


416 


.68 


61 


5 


80 


19 


43 


a 7 


362 


16 


7.5 


11 


385 


July 15 


July 28 


1,506 


1,116 


.74 


55 


7 


55 


12 


33 


.0 


240 


16 


8 


5 


290 


July 29 


Aug. 7 


248 


175 


.70 


44 


2 


73 


18 


38 


.0 


335 


15 


4.0 


14 


351 


Aug. 8 


Aug. 17 


1,730 


1,238 


.72 


38 


10 


62 


18 


35 


.0 


278 


15 


6 


10 


426 


Aug. 24 


Sept 4 


269 


215 


.80 


32 


.08 


60 


15 


43 


.0 


250 


16 


8.0 


7.5 


279 


Sept. 5 


Sept. 15 


100 


100 


1.00 


32 


.03 


67 


17 


33 


.0 


290 


16 


4.0 


9 


301 


Sept. 26 


Oct. 6 


224 


213 


.95 


20 


.12 


54 


18 


35 


.0 


235 


16 


1.2 


7.3 


236 


Oct. 7 


Oct. 16 


93 


99 


1.07 


28 


.50 


51 


14 


29 


.0 


202 


18 


4.5 


6.5 


234 


Oct. 17 


Oct. 30 


71 


74 


1.04 


35 


.20 


43 


13 


32 


.0 


245 


15 


3.5 


6.5 


268 


Nov. 1 


Nov. 12 


189 


165 


.87 


25 


1.2 


54 


14 


30 


.0 


278 


14 


3.8 


8.5 


281 


Nov. 13 


Nov. 22 


85 


71 


.84 


. 29 


.16 


69 


14 


25 


.0 


270 


15 


3.2 


7.0 


274 


Nov. 23 


Dec. 4 
an 

of anhy- 


283 


170 


.60 


30 


.12 


71 


19 


36 


.0 


300 


14 


3.5 


9.0 


307 


Me 


304 


221 


.85 


39 


2.0 


^ 74 


15 


36 


.0 


334 


15 


3.6 


8.9 


339 


Per cent 






























drous r 


esidue 








10.7 


.8 


20.6 


4.2 


10.0 


46.0 




4.2 


1.0 


2.5 

















a Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 

Note. — Analyses from December 5, 1906, to February 6, 1907, and from March 14 to December 4, 1007, 
by F. W. Bushong; from February 7 to March 13, 1907, by Archie J. Weith. 



KANSAS EIVER SYSTEM. 



237 



Table 122. — Turbidity of daily samples from Prairie Dog Creek, at Long Island, Kans. 
[Readings made in the clieniical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


Dec., 
1906. 


1907. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1 




20 
28 
24 
40 
16 
24 
22 

'""is' 

12 

7 
4 
16 
8 
3 
3 
7 

10 
14 
10 
8 
5 
5 
' 10 
8 

10 
7 
8 
20 


10 
6 

7 


27 
60 
60 


70 

""45' 
70 
38 
40 

. 45 
26 
38 
36 

"""46' 


20 
34 

'"'26' 
22 
22 
20 
22 
30 
34 
38 
50- 


34 
65 
65 
60 

65 
72 

"""uo' 

180 
1,464 

'""933" 
833 
532 
406 
500 

"""833" 
900 


650 

650 

440 

680 

532 

485 

562 

430 

412 

510 

412 

600 

255 

1,932 

1,866 

4,080 

3,372 

2,040 

966 


255 
275 
190 
200 
242 
190 
220 
200 
520 
302 
150 
406 
550 
933 


"""so" 

55 

75 


30 

30 

430 

195 

420 

240 

240 

180 

140 

80 

50 

50 

45 

45 

50 

50 

50 

45 


90 
150 
230 
220 
235 


265 


2 




370 


3 




260 


4 




245 


5 


36 
20 
30 
24 
37 
26 
40 
40 
40 
30 
16 
20 


13 
12 
38 
15 
18 
10 
16 
12 
48 
20 
65 
65 
105 
70 
65 

"""46' 

27 

"'96' 
65 
36 


65 
50 
36 
60 
40 
34 
38 
55 
36 
36 
55 
36 
60 
47 
48 
473 
190 
110 
50 
115 
185 

"'47' 
48 
70 
47 




6 




7 






8 


240 

270 

70 

100 

280 

100 

120 

80 

50 

36 

45 

40 

130 

120 

125 

332 

325 

330 

310 

310 

45 

40 




9 . 




10 




11 




12 




13 




14 


68 
42 
27 
27 
27 

'"'27" 
45 

'■'43" 

"'22' 
34 
14 


24 

"'34' 
35 

50 
60 
55 
65 
68 
70 
70 
70 
65 
55 

""'45' 
36 
34 




ll 




16 








17 








18 


12 
10 
10 
10 
12 
14 
12 
15 
13 
11 
10 
27 
27 
28 


i,666 

1,936 

1,100 

1,100 

765 

833 

632 

412 

350 

350 

95 

260 

317 

332 






19 




20 




60 




21 


650 
866 
680 
650 
14,400 


1,000 

"'566' 
473 




22 


35 
120 

70 
130 
130 
320 
245 
200 


24 
100 
24 
90 

"ioo" 

135 

"'so' 




23... 




24 




25 




26 




27 


'"3, "966' 
1,462 


425 
340 
332 
295 

285 




28 




29 




30 




31 














• 


Mean 


22 


13 


37 


78 


39 


42 


129 


904 


526 


133 


115 


164 


285 



Note.— August average: August 8 to 17, 1,730. September averages: September 5 to 15, 100; September 
16 to 26, 160. Turbidities over 50 were determined by a Jacltson turbidimeter and turbidities of 50 or less 
were determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie M. 
Burlingame and Harvey G. Elledge; a few were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 



OTHER TRIBUTARIES. 



No test was made of the water of the North Fork, but the waters of 
the Arikaree and of the South Fork were examined. 

Arikaree Fork is shown by analysis 17, Table 103 (p. 206), to carry 
alkaline-saline water of high permanent hardness, very different from 
the water of the South Fork, assay 27, Table 102, which carries but a 
trace of sulphates and is an alkaline water. The water of the South 
Fork is like that of Beaver Creek, assay 27, Table 102, like that of 
Sappa Creek, Table 120, and like that of Prairie Dog Creek, Table 121. 
As these three creeks and the South Fork derive most of their water 
from the Tertiary deposits, it is not surprising that their waters, like 
the ground water from rocks of that system, are characterized by 
bicarbonates and carry a light burden of sulphates. The reason why 
the water of Arikaree Fork, which, like the others, heads in the Ter- 
tiary and through only part of its course has cut down to the Creta- 
ceous floor, is dissimilar to the waters of these other streams, remains 
to be determined by future investigators. 



238 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

No study has been made of the quahty of the waters of the western 
Nebraska streams that enter Repubhean River. The water of White 
Rock Creek, the first important tributary that the river receives in 
Kansas below Prairie Dog Creek, is shown by assay 29, Table 102, to 
be high in sulphates, doubtless derived from the Cretaceous rocks 
through which the stream flows. 

A test of the waters of Buffalo Creek, which enter Republican 
River northeast of Yuma, is recorded in assa}^ 30, Table 102. The 
water of this creek is high in sulphates and chlorides, both of which 
are derived from salt springs and marshes on sections 11, 24, and 25 
in Vicksburg Township, Jewell County, from the Jamestown Marsh 
northwest of Jamestown, and from Little Marsh northwest of Yuma. 
These marshes and springs originate in the saHferous and gypsiferous 
shales of the Dakota sandstone. 

The drainage of Tuthill salt marsh enters Republican River through 
Salt Creek at Lawrenceburg; no test was made of the water of Salt 
Creek. 

KANSAS RIVER. 
DESCRIPTION. 

Kansas River as such is a comparatively short stream, winding in 
a general easterly direction through a remarkably beautiful and fer- 
tile valley from the confluence of Republican and Smoky Hill rivers 
at Junction to Kansas City, Kans., where it unites with Missouri 
River. 

From Junction to its mouth the course of Kansas River lies 
wholly within the Pennsylvanian rocks ^ and the stream is lined with 
bluffs that vary greatly in height. In places they are only 50 to 75 
feet above the river, although to the east and to the west they rise 
much higher. This peculiar variation in the altitude of the bluffs 
is due to the fact that they owe their existence to a series of lime- 
stones which protect them from erosion and which have a western 
dip. Thus it happens that a limestone capping a bluff rises from 
west to east, the bluff gradually increasing in height until it reaches 
a place where erosive agencies have cut through the limestone. Here 
the height of the bluffs decreases suddenly, but increases gradually 
again to the eastward as another capping limestone rises toward the 
east. At Eudora, Lawrence, and Topeka the bluffs are low and rise 
to the east, while to the west are found the high escarpments of the 
overlying limestones which slope westward. Disregarding the chan- 
nels cut by the lateral tributaries, the bluffs of the Kansas from 
Kansas City to Junction may be likened to a series of great steps, 
the treads of which dip westward until they reach positions much 
nearer the water level of the river than they do farther east. The 

1 Kaaisas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 1, pp. 203-209. 



KANSAS EIVER SYSTEM. 239 

risers in this great stairway are the escarpments which, facing east- 
ward, mark the eastern outcroppings of the successive limestone 
systems. 

Westward from Topeka a few miles the limestone beds are thinner 
and are moderately close together. Moreover, the vertical erosion 
of the river has exceeded the general erosion of the country, so that 
a large number of limestone beds are worn through by the river with- 
out being removed from the surface of the country. The bluffs are 
higher than downstream in the valley, but the valley maintains its 
width so that the bluff lines are well marked and their faces are com- 
posed of numerous little terraces, each of which is produced by one 
of the thinner limestone systems. 

At only a few places in the river channel from Junction to 
Kansas City can limestone ledges be observed, for they have been 
entirely covered by the filling-in process incident to base level- 
ing. Borings at Lawrence by the water company show that certain 
limestones and sandstones existing along the banks of the river have 
been worn away and that the depth of the river valley at one time 
was 50 or 60 feet greater than it now is. The gravels in the lower 
portions of the alluvium are much coarser than in the upper, for the 
old river channel was filled in first with coarse gravel and then with 
finer. There is no doubt but that in the youthful period of the Kansas 
many cataracts and falls occurred in the river from its mouth as far 
west as the western limits of the Pennsylvanian. The Oread lime- 
stone and the underlying shale caused huge cataracts and falls. 
High bluffs at Kansas City, composed of heavy beds of limestones 
with shale beds beneath, probably produced similar falls in Missouri 
River at or below Kansas City. 

As the headwaters of the river originate in the plains, it is not 
subject to the annual floods that result from the melting of snows 
in the mountains; nevertheless disastrous floods have several times 
inflicted severe financial loss on the State by the damage done to 
agricultural lands, the demolition of bridges, the pollution of water- 
works, and the destruction of property in the prosperous cities that 
are situated in the valley. The greatest of these floods was that of 
May 23 to June 13, 1903. Severe floods also occurred in 1908. 

Between Junction and Kansas City the Kansas receives, in addition 
to less important tributaries. Big Blue River,^ Vermihon Creek, Big 
Soldier Creek, Delaware River, and Big Stranger Creek, from the 
north, and Mill and Wakarusa creeks from the south. 

Mill Creek ^ enters Kansas River at the northeast corner of 
Wabaunsee County. It rises away to the southwest in the upper- 
most parts of the Permian and has cut its valley through the various 

• For description of Big Blue and Delaware rivers see pp. 249-257. 

• Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 1, p. 206. 



240 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



limestones to about 100 feet below the Cottonwood limestone. 
Throughout most of its course the valley is relatively narrow, but is 
bordered by bluffs similar in every respect to those of Kansas Kiver. 
At McFarland its south bluff is almost precipitous, rising to a height 
of 200 feet; but the north bluff, however, is rather a gradual slope 
than a true bluff. 

Wakarusa Creek rises in the eastern part of Wabaunsee County 
and flows eastward through a farming region across Shawnee and 
Douglas counties to Eudora, where it joins Kansas River. The 
course of the creek roughly parallels that of the river from which 
it is separated by a dissected table-land whose drainage is about 
equally divided between the river on the north and the creek on the 
south. The air-line distance across the table-land, from the bed of 
one stream to that of the other, varies in different places, but is com- 
monly 12 to 15 miles. Wakarusa Creek lies wholly within the 
Pennsylvanian rocks and it has eroded a valley nearly 50 miles long 
and 7 to 15 miles wide to a depth nearly equal of that of Kansas River. 

The discharge of Kansas River as measured at the gaging stations 
of the United States Geological Survey at Lawrence and Lecompton 
is shown in the following tables : 

Table 123. — Mean monthly discharge of Kansas River at Lawrence, Kans.,for period 
March 1, 1895, to December 31, 1898, inclusive. 

[Drainage area, 59,800 square miles.] 



Month. 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. 



Minimum. 



Mean. 



January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 



2,687 
11,440 

6,490 
58,000 
34,158 
38,583 
53,308 
28, 190 
20,050 

7,170 
11,440 

4,035 



58,000 



692 
825 
967 
787 
967 
,255 
692 
692 
787 
517 
507 



1,410 
2,948 
2,130 
5,770 
8,870 
10,400 
10,500 
6,040 
2,950 
1,260 
1,860 
1,430 



4,630 



KANSAS EIVER SYSTEM. 



241 



Table 124. — Mean monthly discharge of Kansas River at Lecompton, Kans.,for period 
between April 1, 1899, and December 31, 1905. 

[Drainage area, 58,600 square miles.] 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. Minimum. Mean 



Januarj^ 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 



14,170 

21,600 

25,000 

38,350 

221,000 

205,500 

130,000 

58,500 

54, 300 

42,112 

13,320 

15,900 



221,000 



445 

275 

100 

2,250 

2,125 

2,375 

275 

275 

1,850 

445 

275 

625 



100 



4,910 
3,010 
8,540 
6,930 
12,700 
18,100 
18,200 
10,300 
8,300 
5,920 
5,450 
4,690 



8,920 



QUALITY OF WATER. 



MAIN RIVER. 



A sampling station was maintained on Kansas River at Holliday 
from December 29, 1906, to December 31, 1908. E. W. Johnsonwas 
collector. The results of the analyses of the composite samples are 
presented in Table 125. The series is especially valuable because it 
covers a period of two years and includes a season from May 5 to 
September 3, 1908, during which extraordinarily high water pre- 
vailed. 

The total solids in Kansas River commonly fluctuate with the gage 
heights, being high when the gage is low, and vice versa, but at Holli- 
day other factors besides the stage of the river determine the amount 
of total solids in the water. The Kansas at this point carries the 
waters of the Smoky Hill, the Solomon, the Saline, the Republican, 
the Big Blue, and the Delaware, rivers which differ greatly in compo- 
sition. The waters of the first three are highly mineralized, carrying 
large quantities of calcium, sodium, sulphates, and chlorides; the 
last, three rivers are mineralized in a very much less degree. So the 
unsatisfactory waters of the Smoky Hill, Solomon, and Saline are 
improved by dilution with the waters of the Republican, Big Blue, 
and Delaware. The amount of improvement effected varies from 
day to day. Sometimes the three eastern streams are low, while the 
three western flow at moderate stage, and then the percentage of 
water supplied to the Kansas by the Smoky Hill, Saline, and Solomon 
is large, and the total solids in the Kansas rise; if, on the other hand, 
the western streams are low and the eastern high, the total solids 
drop. At times all of the rivers are low and then the total solids are 
higher than ever. Sometimes a flood on a single stream affects the 



77836°— wsp 273—11- 



-16 



242 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

total solids in the Kansas decidedly, for not only are the solids in the 
stream having high stage diluted, but in its swollen condition it 
furnishes a greater proportion of water than usual to Kansas Eiver 
and so for the time being becomes an important and even controlling 
factor in determining the quality of water in the river. 

As the total solids vary constantly in the water, so does the per- 
centage of the different metallic and acid radicles. As the calcium, 
bicarbonates, and sulphates are nearly always high, the temporary 
and permanent hardness of Kansas River is usually great. When 
great floods dominate, the hardness becomes much less, but at such 
times the water is so highly charged with sediment that the improve- 
ment worked by the decrease in hardness is more than offset by mud. 

An extreme example of the effect of floods on the hardness of the 
water of the Kansas is afforded by the composite sample of May 25 
to June 3, 1908, when the calcium was 49 parts, the magnesium 9.9 
parts, the sulphates 32 parts, and the bicarbonates only 12 parts per 
million. 

The chlorides in the Kansas rise and fall from day to day. They 
are chiefly contributed by Saline, Solomon, and Smoky Hill rivers 
and vary with the stage of the river and with the percentage of water 
that each river supplies to the Kansas. The least quantity of 
chlorides found in any one of the composite samples of Kansas River 
was 5.9 parts and the greatest 123 parts per million. 

This perfectly normal oscillation of chlorides of Kansas River has 
caused conflicting testimony to be given in court by different water 
analysts, who were content to express an opinion on the results of a 
single analysis; and more than one sanitary chemist has erred in 
attributing the chlorides in the Kansas to sewage pollution. Of 
course the Kansas is sewage polluted, but most of the chlorides come 
not from sewage but from salt springs and marshes that originate in 
the saliferous shales of the Dakota sandstone. 

Daily turbidity readings. Table 126, were made with a United 
States Geological Survey turbidity rod at Lawrence from March 4 to 
May 1, 1903, and from August 1 to September 2, 1904. The greatest 
turbidity record during this period was 2,000 and the lowest 50. 
From December 29, 1906, to May 26, 1907, and from October 9 to 
November 7, 1907, daily turbidity observations were made at Holli- 
day. (Table 127.) In the 1907 periods the highest recorded tur- 
bidity was 5,598 on March 17 and 18; the lowest was 12 on February 
5. Sudden jumps in the turbidity of the river are recorded as from 
392 on March 9 to 1,200 on March 10, 1907. 



KANSAS RIVEH SYSTEM. 



243 









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KANSAS RIVER SYSTEM. 



245 



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246 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Table 126. — Daily turbidity measurements of Kansas River at Lawrence, Kans., and 
daily gage heights at Lecompton, Kans. 

[James L. Murray and D. F. McFarland, observers.] 



Date. 


Tur- 
bidity. 


Gage 
heights. 


Date. 


Tur- 
bidity. 


Gage 
heights. 


Date. 


Tur- 
bidity. 


Gage 
heights. 


1903. 


1,500 

1,500 

1,500 

1,500 

1,500 

2,000 

2,000 

1,500 

1,500 

1,500 

1,000 

800 

800 

600 

500 

400 

350 

300 

250 

250 

200 

180 

160 

160 

150 

150 

140 

130 


7.85 
7.65 
6.80 
6.25 
5.95 
5.55 
7.05 
8.15 
8.90 
8.90 
9.45 
9.65 
10.00 
9.85 
8.95 
8.70 
8.20 
7.50 
7.40 
7.20 
6.95 
6.65 
6.60 
6.35 
6.05 
5.95 
5.90 
5.85 

5.75 
5.70 
5.60 
5.60 


1903. 
Apr. 6 


110 
100 
100 
100 
100 
95 
95 
95 
95 
90 
85 
80 
75 
70 
70 
70 
65 
65 
60 
60 
50 
55 


5.50 
5.45 
5.40 
5.10 
4.80 
4.80 
4.70 
4.70 
4.70 
4.65 
4.60 
4.60 
4.55 
4.50 
4.50 
4.50 
4.45 
4.40 
4.40 
4.30 
4.30 
4.30 

4.00 
12.90 

4.80 
4.55 
4.25 
4.20 


1904. 


130 
140 
120 
110 
130 
115 
108 
125 
130 
135 
250 
350 
350 
300 
500 
400 
250 
350 
300 
350 
800 
750 
475 
500 
500 
475 
350 


4.15 




Apr. 6 


Aug. 6 


4.10 


Mar. 6 . . . 


Apr. 7 


Aug. 7.. . . 


4.05 


Mar. 7 


Apr. 8 


Aug. 8 


4.00 


Mar. 8 


Apr. 9 


Aug. 9 


4.00 


Mar. 9 


Apr. 10 


Aug. 10 


3.90 


Mar. 10 


Apr. 11 


Aug. 11 


3.85 


Mar. 11 


Apr. 12 


Aug. 12 . 


3.80 


Mar. 12 


Apr. 13 


Aug. 13 


3.80 


Mar. 13 


Apr. 14 


Aug. 14 


3.80 


Mar. 14 


Apr. 15 


Aug. 15 .. 


3.80 


Mar. 15 


Apr. 16 


Aug. 16 


3.70 


Mar. 16 


Apr. 17 


Aug. 17 


3.70 


Mar. 17 


Apr. 18 


Aug. 18 . 


3.70 


Mar. 18 


Apr. 19 


Aug, 19 


3.65 


Mar. 19 


Apr. 20 


Aug. 20 


3.60 


Mar. 20 


Apr. 21 


Aug. 21 . 


3.60 


Mar. 21 


Apr. 22 


Aug. 22 


3.55 


Mar. 22 


Apr. 23 


Aug. 23 


3.50 


Mar. 23. . . 


Apr. 24 


Aug. 24 . . 


3.45 


Mar. 24 


Apr. 25 


Aug. 25 


3.40 


Mar. 25 


Apr. 26 


Aug. 26 


3.40 


Mar 26 


Mean 

May 1 


Aug. 27 - 


3 40 


Mar. 27 


86 


Aug. 28 


3.35 






3 30 


Mar. 29 


2,000 
2,000 


Aug. 30 


3.30 


Mar. 30 


May 23 


Aug. 31 


3.25 


Mar 31 


Mean 

1904. 
Aug. 1 


Mean 

Sept 1 






2,000 


312 




Mean 


804 




180 
275 
550 
180 


350 
400 


3.20 
3.20 


Apr. 1 


120 
120 
110 
110 


Sept. 2 


Apr. 2 


Aug. 2 


Mean. 




Apr. 3 


Aug. 3 






Apr. 4 


Aug. 4 















KANSAS RIVER SYSTEM. 



247 



Table 127. — Turbidity of daily samples of Kansas River at Holliday, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


Dec, 
1906. 


1907. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1 . ... 




38 
36 
32 
50 
40 
70 
52 
90 
75 
70 
65 
90 
75 
80 
40 
18 
14 


14 
14 
13 
18 
12 
20 
. 40 


1,200 

1,400 

1,732 

1, 332 

520 

500 

350 


" "ii5' 

120 
135 
135 
105 
105 
68 
90 
75 
75 

65" 

70 
65 
78 
85 
85 
75 
75 
65 
75 
65 
70 
75 


70 
75 
75 
100 
80 
105 
105 
120 
120 
120 
105 
135 
180 
85 
180 
180 
125 
115 
115 
110 
130 
105 
100 
125 
130 
112 






50 
36 
60 
60 
36 
40 
40 
45 
50 
40 
45 
50 
50 
50 
40 
40 
50 
24 
24 
40 
50 
45 
36 
36 
24 
30 
45 
24 
45 
30 


24 


2 








24 


3 








24 


4 








24 


5 








18 


6 








' 24 


7 








30 


8 . .. 










9 






392 
1,200 
2,472 
2,550 


"2,' 466' 
2,499 


2,100 

2,250 

2,250 

2,100 

1,450 

1,000 

675 

350 

210 

215 

75 

80 

60 

40 

45 

60 




10 






11 






12 






13 






14 




473 
500 
473 
450 
450 
440 
460 

'""lis' 

315 
308 
412 
500 
532 
933 


5,355 

5,355 

5,355 

5,598 

5,598 

440 

500 

500 

532 

5,355 




15 






16 






17 






18 




» 


19 




412 

370 

412 

412 

440 

406 

440 

28 

20 

38 

15 

17 

20 










21 






22 . 






23 












25 






26 






45 




27 






28 








32 
60 
40 
30 




29 


60 
55 
45 




3,650 




30 








31 




























Mean 


53 


132 


324 


2,297 


86 


115 


2,850 


636 


41 


22 







Note.— March average: 26 to 30, 1,680; March 31 to April 4, 1 ,800. June average: 1 to 6, 765; 8 to 16, 3,060; 
20 to 28,1,920; June 30 to July 9, 2,500. July average : 10 to 19, 3,190; 20 to 29, 2,840; July 30 to August 8, 1 ,800. 
August average: 9 to 18, 765; 19 to 28, 400; August 29 to September 7, 80. September average: 8 to 17, 70; 
18 to 27, 55; September 29 to October 8, 833. December average: 8 to 17, 16; 18 to 27, 18. Turbidities 
over 50 were determined by a Jackson turbidimeter and turbidities of 50 or less were determined by com.- 
parison with silica standards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie M. Burlingame and Harvey 
G. EUedge; a few were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 

The coefficient of fineness (Table 125) of the composite samples 
varies a good deal. Most of the' time it is fairly high, indicating that 
the suspended matter is rather coarse; but in some of the samples the 
coefficient of fineness is low, showing that the suspended matter is 
fine. 

To summarize: Analyses of the composite samples of the Kansas 
show that the composition of the water is constantly changing, but 
that the calcium, bicarbonates, and sulphates are almost always 
high; hence the temporary and permanent hardness of the water ie 
marked. The river is usually very turbid, though from October 19, 
1907, to February 24, 1908, the turbidity of the composite samples 
was never greater than 60 and was usually considerably less. As a 
• gage was maintained on the Kansas at Topeka by the United States 
"Weather Bureau during the entire period that samples were col- 
lected at Holliday, and as discharge measurements have been made 
by the United States Geological Survey at Lecompton, it has been 
possible to calculate the approximate mean discharge of the Kansas 



248 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

at Holliday for the period during which the samples were collected 
and so to figure out the amount of denudation accomplished by the 
river. It appears that during the two years it carried in suspension 
an average of 35,100 tons and in solution an average of 7,000 tons per 
24 hours. 

The variation in the composition of Kansas E-iver water at Topeka 
at different times is shown by analyses 25-36, Table 103, page 207; 
among these, analysis 35, Table 103, seems to be a test of an abnormal 
sample. In the other samples the sulphates are high, the chlorides 
fluctuate a good deal, and the other constituents do in a less degree. 

The quality of water of the Kansas at Argentine at different times 
is shown by analyses 50 to 56, Table 103, and that of Kansas River 
at Armourdale and Kansas City, Kans., by analyses 57 and 58, 
Table 103. 

MINOR TRIBUTARIES. 

Between Junction and Manhattan the principal tributary received 
by the Kansas is Clarks Creek, but no test was made of its water. 
A little above Manhattan Wild Cat Creek enters. The State Agri- 
cultural College discharges its unpurified sewage into the creek, 
which carries it some distance before emptying it into Republican 
River. Formerly, the outlet of the sewerage system at its present 
location discharged directly into Republican River, but the river 
shifted its channel by cutting off an oxbow bend, and imposed the 
work of carrying the sewage on the small creek.' 

A test of a sample taken above the outlet of the sewer of the 
institution (assay 31, Table 102) shows the water to have decided 
temporary and permanent hardness. 

The water of Vermilion River, assay 37, Table 102, is soft. The 
quality of the water of Mill Creek is shown by 2 analyses and 1 assay. 
Analysis 23, Table 103, made in 1902, indicates considerable perma- 
nent and high temporary hardness, but analysis 24, Table 103, indi- 
cates much greater permanent hardness and less carbonates than 
shown in the preceding analyses and agrees very well with assay 
41, Table 102. 

The water of Big Soldier Creek (assay 42, Table 102) has high tem- 
porary and low permanent hardness. 

Shonganunga Creek, assay 43, Table 102, has low temporary and 
high permanent hardness. The water of the lake at Lakeview (assay 
48, Table 102) appears to be very soft, but its composition is probably 
changeable. South Fork of Sweezy Creek (assay 46, Table 102) 
carries soft water, while the water of Sweezy Creek itself (assay 47, 
Table 102) has considerable permanent hardness. 

Martin Creek and Mud Creek (assays 49 and 50, Table 102) are 
very much ahke, having water of low permanent and high temporary 
hardness. 



KANSAS EIVER SYSTEM. 249 

Tests of the waters of Wakarusa Creek and its tributaries are 
recorded in analyses 45 and 46, Table 103, and assays 51, 52, 53, and 
54, Table 102. The tests indicate that the temporary hardness of 
these waters is always high and that the permanent hardness varies, 
sometimes being great enough to be troublesome and at others fall- 
ing to a point where it is not so. 

The results of tests of Big Stranger Creek and its tributary, Nine 
Mile Creek at Linwood, are given in assays 55, 56, and 57, Table 102, 
and analysis 47, Table 103, which indicate that the waters of both 
streams are soft. 

Cedar Creek (assay 58, Table 102) carries water having low tem- 
porary and high permanent hardness. The water in the railroad 
pond on Mill Creek at Olathe is shown by assay 59, Table 102, and 
analysis 48, Table 103, to have very low temporary hardness; the 
permanent hardness, however, is at times rather high. 

A test of the water of Mill Creek at its mouth (assay 60, Table 102) 
indicates that the temporary hardness is low and the permanent 
high. 

BIG BLITE RIVER.i 

DESCRIPTION. 

Big Blue River rises in the northeastern part of Hamilton County, 
Nebr., near Platte River, and flows northeastward to Ulysses, Nebr., 
where it turns and flows southward to its junction with Kansas 
River at Manhattan. Its drainage area, including all tributaries, is 
9,490 square miles, of which 7,040 square miles are in Nebraska and 
2,450 square miles are in Kansas. At Seward, Nebr., the Big Blue 
receives from the west. Northwest Branch; at a point south of 
Camden, Nebr., Beaver Creek enters; and at Dewitt, Nebr., Turkey 
Creek comes in. Above Beatrice, Nebr., the channels of Big Blue 
River and its branches lie in Cretaceous rocks; at Beatrice the river 
enters the Permian, and at Blue Rapids, Kans., the main channel 
cuts into the Pennsylvanian, in which it continues to its mouth. 

Little Blue River, the principal tributary of the Big Blue, heads 
in the unconsolidated sand and gravels of the Tertiary and flows 
southeastward. At Belvedere, in Kearney County, Nebr., it enters 
the Cretaceous, in which it continues, except for a short distance in 
the Tertiary from Fairbury to Endicott, Nebr., to a point a little 
south of the Kansas-Nebraska State line in Washington County, 
Kans., where it crosses into the Permian, in which it flows to its 
junction with Big Blue River, a short distance above Blue Rapids. 
The drainage area of Little Blue River in Nebraska is about 13,000 
square miles, and the flow of the stream is constant, even in periods 

1 Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 216, 1907, p. 36; Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 5, p. 35. 



250 QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

of dry weather. Much of the water is derived from springs issuing 
from the Tertiary and from the Dakota sandstone. 

In tlie wide valley of Platte River nearly all of the coarser mate- 
rials, especially the basal beds of the alluvium and the coarser por- 
tions of the alluvium near the stream, are filled with water, which is 
obtainable by shallow wells. Although in dry weather Platte River 
shows very little water at the surface, just below the dry sand and 
shingle in its bed there is a sheet of water which extends widely under 
the alluvial flat on either side. These permeable alluvial materials 
and more or less underlying coarse material contain a large supply of 
water. As the valley of Platte River is somewhat higher than the 
adjoining valleys of the branches of Blue, Republican, and Loup 
rivers, the waters that lie in its bottom flow out laterally through 
the coarse material underlying the loess and issue as springs or under- 
ground seepage in these deeper depressions. In the vicinity of 
Grand Island the evidence is very clear that the Platte waters pass 
under the loess-covered divide and emerge in the deep valleys of the 
headwaters of branches of Big Blue River, which are considerably 
lower in altitude than the bottom of the Platte Valley. The under- 
flow from Platte River passes southeastward under Adams County 
through sands and gravels which present everywhere relatively 
uniform relations. The waters are more or less free to escape into 
the valley of Little Blue River, which quite deeply trenches the 
plains region in the southern portion of this county.^ 

In freshets the Little Blue River shifts its channel in sandy bottom 
lands and has done considerable damage by cutting across valuable 
farm lands. 

The best water power in Kansas is developed at Blue Rapids, 
where Big Blue River passes over a fall. It is estimated that at low 
water 1,500 horsepower is generated. 

The valleys of the Big and Little Blue Rivers in Kansas are dis- 
sected in a plateau of about 1,300 feet in elevation, which is so in- 
dented by the drainage as to present a rugged topography. The 
valley of the Big Blue is one-half to 1 mile in breadth, and 100 feet 
deep, while that of the Little Blue, though of about the same depth, 
varies in breadth. 

The discharge of Big Blue River, estimated from records kept by 
the United States Geological Survey, is shown in the following table: 

1 Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 12, 1898, pp. 24-25. 



KANSAS RIVER SYSTEM. 



251 



Table 128. — Mean monthly discharge of Big Blue River at Manhattan, Kans.,for period 
from April 14, 1895, to October 31, 1905, inclusive; omitting March and April, 1896, 
arid January and February, 1904- 

[Drainage area, 9,490 square miles.] 



Month. 



January 

February 

Marcli 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. Minimum. Mean 



2,710 
11,640 
10, 830 
32,256 
68,770 
66, 170 
43,-430 
34,710 
29,990 
20, 006 
5,860 
3,136 



68,770 



475 
408 
408 
460 
210 
69 
69 
124 
210 
325 



744 
1,124 
1,560 
2,000 
4,120 
4,460 
4, 050 
2,520 
1,720 
1,170 
908 
778 



2,100 



QUALITY OP WATER. 

The United States Geological Survey maintained a daily sampling 
station on Big Blue River at Manhattan from December 19, 1906, 
to December 19, 1907. Ed. MarkshefFel was collector. 

A record of the analyses of composite samples of water collected 
at this station is presented in Table 129. These analyses indicate 
that Big Blue River carries a calcic alkaline water of moderately 
high temporary hardness and low permanent hardness. The chlorides 
are low and vary considerably in amount. The analysis of water 
from Big Blue River, recorded as No. 21, Table 103, is similar to 
that of the composite sample of January 18 to 27, Table 129. 

Increase in turbidity is generally a sign of a rise in the river; 
as a rule the total dissolved solids rise when the river falls. The 
table, however, shows exceptions to this rule, some of which are 
doubtless due to the fact that an increase in turbidity may indicate 
a local disturbance of the stream instead of a higher stage. 

Daily turbidity determinations. Table 130, show the Big Blue to be 
more turbid than the Smoky Hill, the Saline, or the Solomon. In 
the Big Blue a period of low turbidity extended from December 19, 
1906, to February 9, 1907, after which the river was decidedly 
turbid up to March 27, then the turbidity remained low until May 28, 
when a period of high turbidity set in, which continued until October 
20, except for a period of low turbidity from September 19 to 29. 
Thereafter, except on November 6, November 30, and December 9, 
the turbidity of the river was low. Of the 352 turbidity readings 
made, 41 per cent were less than 50, over 47 per cent 100, or greater 
than 100, and over 11 per cent 1,000 or greater. The records indicate 
some sudden jumps in turbidity, as from 58 on May 27 to 732 on May 



252 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 



28, and from 600 on July 15 to 11,000 on July 16. The lowest tur- 
bidity, 5, was recorded on January 16 and February 5; the highest, 
11,000, occurred on July 16. The coefficient of fineness. Table 129 
varies considerably but is usually high, except in the three last 
composites in the table. Thus the coefficient shows that the matter 
carried in suspension by the stream is usually coarse but that oc- 
casionally it is fine enough to give trouble in slow sand filters. 

Table 129. — Analyses of water from Big Blue River, at Manhattan, Kans. 

[Drainage area, 9,490 square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in the chemical 
laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Date. 




fe 


^ 










§ . 




<D 








-q 






i 






O 




C3 



3 


§2; 


C 




c3 


6 





c 


> 








From — 


To- 


'2 
S 




.2 fi 

CD 




0) 


a 
3 


1 
1 


si 


o3 

a 









1 










3 


3 

m 


O 

o 




2 

1— I 


"3 



"" 


OS 


fO 


3 


g 


3 






1906. 


1906. 






























Dec. 19 


Dec. 28 
1907. 


24 


18 


0.75 


11 


1.0 


87 


17 


49 


all 


320 


60 


0.2 


33 


422 


Dec. 29 


Jan. 7 


16 


16 


1.00 


26 


.c 


72 


13 


41 


a 3. 5 


316 


55 


1.0 


28 


373 


1907. 
































Jan. 8 


Jan. 17 


16 


12 


.75 


26 


.8 


82 


9.1 


44 


08.6 


313 


54 


2.6 


7.2 


386 


Jan. 18 


Jan. 27 


43 


38 


.88 


54 


.6 


77 


15 


43 


04.8 


310 


61 


1.9 


19 


398 


Jan. 28 


Feb. 6 


17 


18 


1.06 


59 


• 1.4 


87 


19 


49 


a22 


324 


58 


2 


23 


458 


Feb. 7 


Feb. 16 


373 


298 


.80 


36 


.22 


71 


20 


79 


.0 


228 


138 


2 


31 


471 


Feb. 17 


Feb. 26 


392 


369 


.94 


43 


.8 


44 


4.6 


29 


.0 


169 


34 


4 


8.8 


262 


Feb. 27 


Mar. 8 


293 


261 


.89 


45 


.70 


62 


13 


38 


.0 


227 


43 


3 


16 


453 


Mar. 9 


Mar. 18 


718 


584 


.81 


36 


.6 


54 


15 


39 


.0 


204 


39 


4.8 


8.4 


283 


Mar. 19 


Mar. 28 


176 


163 


.93 




6 


68 


4.9 


43 


.0 


274 


40 


1.5 


19 


348 


Mar. 29 


Apr. 8 


46 


49 


1.06 


'22" 


.9 


83 


15 


40 


7.4 


318 


53 


.2 


21 


389 


Apr. 9 


Apr. 18 


39 


31 


.79 


31 


2.6 


86 


20 


44 


nlO 


340 


41 


.9 


26 


399 


Apr. 19 


Apr. 30 


22 


22 


1.00 


18 


1.6 


86 


17 


45 


.0 


337 


55 


1.2 


29 


395 


May 1 


May 10 


19 


17 


.89 


25 


3.5 


86 


3.9 


47 


aS'.O 


312 


50 


.9 


26 


391 


May 11 


May 20 


28 


37 


1.32 


25 


.50 


86 


12 


45 


aS.O 


320 


55 


.8 


27 


398 


May 21 


May 30 


495 


658 


1.33 


26 


5.5 


71 


10 


48 


.0 


280 


50 


1.7 


23 


348 


May 31 


June 9 


1,136 


917 


.81 


21 


4 


40 


14 


27 


.0 


153 


27 


5 


10 


158 


June 10 


June 19 


4,180 


2,783 


.67 


79 


6 


31 


9.1 


29 


.0 


115 


20 


1 


7 


285 


June 20 


June 29 


740 


625 


.84 


37 


3.5 


52 


10 


41 


.0 


188 


29 


4 


17 


254 


June 30 


July 9 


666 


495 


.74 


40 


4 


49 


20 


39 


.0 


210 


31 


7 


15 


495 


July 10 


July 19 


1,455 


1,522 


1.04 


19 


.7 


46 


13 


43 


.0 


175 


27 


5.5 


18 


256 


July 20 


July 29 


2, 156 


1,671 


.77 


50 


40 


33 


17 


30 


.0 


120 


18 


6 


5 


227 


July 30 


Aug. 8 


620 


472 


.76 


3.'; 


2 


55 


18 


30 


.0 


210 


35 


3 


19 


282 


Aug. 9 


Aug. 18 


- 900 


890 


.99 


30 


5 


63 


11 


34 


.0 


185 


29 


3 


10 


380 


Aug. 19 


Sept. 1 


158 


118 


.75 


31 


.8 


68 


10 


44 


.0 


240 


36 


2.5 


23 


304 


Sept. 2 


Sept. 12 


160 


139 


.87 


32 


.10 


63 


16 


46 


08.0 


228 


26 


2.2 


25 


321 


Sept. 13 


Sept. 22 


100 


148 


1.48 


39 


.03 


80 


16 


48 


.0 


280 


41 


1.3 


28 


354 


Oct. 1 


Oct. 13 


1,582 


1,042 


.66 


35 


.8 


44 


10 


34 


.0 


165 


32 


3.3 


15 


234 


Oct. 14 


Oct. 23 


140 


106 


.76 


35 


.40 


60 


13 


47 


.0 


228 


34 


2 


23 


305 


Oct. 24 


Nov. 3 


57 


45 


.79 


40 


.24 


83 


21 


68 


.0 


270 


41 


1 


31 


354 


Nov. 4 


Nov. 13 


47 


39 


.83 


36 


.20 


68 


15 


47 


.0 


296 


43 


.6 


30 


361 


Nov. 14 


Nov. 23 


25 


15 


.60 


32 


.20 


78 


18 


47 


.0 


300 


46 


.5 


29 


372 


Nov. 24 


Dec. 3 


24 


10 


.42 


33 


.18 


75 


21 


64 


.0 


305 


46 


.5 


29 


376 


Dec. 4 


Dee. 20 
an 

of anhy- 


29 


18 


.62 


24 


.10 


73 


18 


61 


.0 


305 


46 


.2 


28 


360 


Me 


497 


401 


.87 


34 


3 


67 


14 


44 


.0 


258 


44 


2.3 


21 


348 


Per cent 






























drous r 


esidue 








9.5 


1.2 


18.8 


3.9 


12.3 


35.5 




12.3 


.6 


5.9 

















a Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 

Note. — Analyses from December 19, 1906, to February 6, 1907, and from March 19 to December 3, 1907, 
by F. W. Bushong; from Februai'y 7 to March 18 and from December 4 to December 20, 1907, by Archie J. 
Weith. 



KANSAS RIVER SYSTEM. 



253 



Table 130. — Turbidity of daily samples from Big Blue River at Manhattan, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


Dec, 
1906. 


1907. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Ang. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1 




14 
27 
19 
11 
11 
20 
17 
24 
16 
24 

9 
15 
20 
16 
16 

5 
10 
10 
12 
20 
36 
110 
50 
60 
55 
45 
27 
30 
20 
14 
18 


16 

16 

16 

16 

5 

14 

10 

8 

8 

440 

440 

600 

650 

732 

430 

412 

613 

485 

500 

564 

500 

332 

308 

272 

180 

180 

160 

140 


125 
115 
115 
120 
430 
' 732 
632 
562 
425 
933 
933 
933 
933 
765 
765 
510 
500 
485 
412 
265 
200 
150 
150 
210 
115 
105 
95 
60 
60 
40 


42 
105 
46 
26 
26 
27 
40 
46 
36 
58 
40 
32 
32 
38 
50 
45 
27 
28 
20 
16 

""26' 
20 
38 
28 
22 
17 
18 
22 
16 


13 
33 
20 
22 
14 
14 
14 
22 
22 
18 
18 
90 
22 
24 
12 
12 
24 
30 
20 
26 
27 
16 
20 
18 
30 
55 
58 
732 
2,000 
2,000 
2,196 


2,196 

1,600 

1,530 

933 

650 

600 

400 

485 

765 

8,415 

4,840 

8,415 

3,652 

3,900 

3,300 

3,120 

2,220 

2, 100 

1,866 

1,000 

833 

933 

1,000 

562 

933 

532 

500 

550 

532 

966 

244 


1,530 

'"""446" 

"""4O6" 

420 

406 

400 

385 

600 

11,000 

4,530 

3,300 

3,000 

3,000 

3,000 

2,195 

2,000 

1,900 

1,666 

1,932 

1,600 

2,400 

1,866 

1,530 

1,300 


580 
900 
666 
340 
210 
280 
190 
200 
317 
800 
900 
2,780 
1,000 
732 
933 
562 
632 
355 
317 
230 

""'iso" 
"""iio" 

95 
110 
72 
90 
110 
105 
100 


95 
95 
125 
145 
160 
170 
215 
230 
165 
200 
150 
105 
90 
100 
120 
125 
100 
190 
90 
85 
75 
70 
65 
60 
70 
80 
75 
70 
65 



80 

80 

510 

4,120 

2," 725" 
1,950 
1,175 
950 
600 
700 
580 
485 
260 
240 
190 
120 
120 
100 
120 
80 
90 
75 
75 
50 
50 
80 
50 
32 
40 
45 


60 
45 
45 
36 
36 

120 
24 
24 
45 
80 
36 
40 
30 
40 
18 
24 
24 
24 
16 
32 
15 
16 
36 
32 
32 
36 
18 
18 
18 

241 


24 


2 




18 


3 




24 


4 




24 


5 




18 


6 




18 


7 






8 




24 


9 




160 


10 




16 


11 




24 


12 




24 


13 




18 


14 






15 




18 


16 




32 


17 




16 


18 




10 


19 


20 
20 
20 
22 
20 
22 
19 
40 
20 
31 
15 
16 
14 


15 


20 

21 

22 

23 


16 


24 




25 




26 

27 




28 




29 




30 . . 




31 
















Mean 


21 


25 


287 


396 


34 


246 


1,970 


2,117 


495 


117 


526 


42 


28 



Note.— Average, June 30 to July 9, 666. Turbidities over 50 were determined by a Jackson turbidimeter 
.and turbidities of 50 or less were determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings 
were made by Carrie M. Burlingame and Harvey G. Elledge. A few were made by Helen Heald and Adel- 
bert Morrison. 

The water of Big Blue River above the mouth of the Little Blue, 
assay 33, Table 102 (p. 205), is rather soft, though the permanent 
hardness, as indicated by the sulphate content, approaches the point 
where it becomes troublesome. 

The first tributary of Big Blue River in Kansas, of which a test 
was made, is Spring Creek at Marysville. This stream lies wholly 
within the Permian, but assay 32, Table 102, shows its water to be 
soft. 

Tests of the water of Mill Creek at Washington are given in assay 
34, Table 102, and analysis 20, Table 103 (pr206), which show low 
temporary and marked permanent hardness. 

Little Blue River carries soft water at both Hanover and at Blue 
Rapids (assays 35 and 36, Table 102), but at the lower point the per- 
manent hardness is considerably greater than at the upper. The 
results of tests of Black Vermilion River and its tributary, Vermilion 
Creek, are given in assays 37 and 38, Table 102. The creek and river 
appear to be very similar in composition, though the bicarbonates in 
the creek water are higher than in the river. The water of Fancy 



254 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Creek (assay 39, Table 102), also shows similarity in composition to 
that of Vermilion Creek and Black Vermilion River, although Fancy 
Creek and its tributaries, through practically their entire courses, flow 
in the Permian rocks, and might be expected to be heavily mineral- 
ized from the shales of that formation, whereas Black Vermilion River 
and its tributaries lie wholly within the Pennsylvanian series. The 
streams flowing in the eastern part of the Permian area of Kansas, 
however, are not so heavily mineralized as those in the northern, 
middle, and southern area, where gypsum deposits outcrop or are 
very near the surface. It is worthy of note that though both Fancy 
Creek and Black Vermilion River flow close to the large gypsum 
deposits of the Blue Rapids gypsum area, neither stream derives any 
considerable drainage from the gypsum deposits. 

Although Big Blue River and its chief tributary. Little Blue 
River, flow in the Cretaceous through a considerable portion of their 
courses in Nebraska, they appear not to receive the overflow of salt 
springs and marshes originating in the Dakota, as the Saline, Solomon, 
and Republican Rivers do in Kansas. It is stated/ however, that 
along Little Blue Valley and at places near Rose Water Creek near 
Thayer County, Nebr., the water obtained from wells in the Dakota 
sandstone is somewhat salty, and that at Gladstone in Jefferson 
County, and at a number of points between Powell and Steele, wells 
in the Dakota obtain saline water; it is stated also ^ that there is a 
general seepage into Big Sandy Creek and Little Blue River from the 
Dakota sandstone and Pleistocene sands in the northwestern part 
of the county. 

DELAWARE RIVER. 3 

DESCRIPTION. 

Delaware River, known to the pioneers as Grasshopper River, is 
formed in the Kickapoo Indian Reservation at the southwestern part 
of Brown County, Kans., by the confluence of Cedar and Craig creeks 
and flows southward to Perry, where it discharges into Kansas River. 
The river, which is 80 miles long, has cut its channel deep into the 
Pennsylvanian, forming remarkably precipitous bluffs, but it has 
not yet reached base level for, at several places in its course are falls 
caused by resistant limestone strata. Its total drainage area is 
1,200 square miles. 

. QUALITY OP WATER. 

The United States Geological Survey maintained a daily sampling 
station on Delaware River at Perry, Kans., from January 4, 1907, 
to June 30, 1907, and at Valley Falls, Kans., from June 12, 1907, 

1 Condra, G. E., Geology and water resources of the Republican River valley and adjacent areas, 
Nebraska: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 216, 1907, pp. 56-^7. 

2 Loc. cit. 

» Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 1, p. 206. 



KANSAS RIVER SYSTEM. ' 255 

to January 4, 1908. Samples were collected at Perry by C. G. Hart, 
and at Valley Falls by George Harmon. 

A record of the analyses of composites of the samples collected 
from this river is presented in Table 131, and the results of tests 
at Valley Falls and Perry also appear in analyses 40-42, Table 103. 
The analyses of the composites (Table 131) show that the bicarbonates 
predominate over the sulphates and fluctuate much more than the 
latter do. At times the water has high temporary hardness and at 
other times low; the permanent hardness is usually low, but is some- 
times great enough to be troublesome. Occasionally, when the river 
is in flood and is very turbid, both the temporary and permanent 
hardness are low. The chlorides are low and like the other con- 
stituents fluctuate. So far as can be judged from turbidity readings 
the total dissolved solids as a rule rise and fall with the stage of 
the river. 

Measurements of the daily turbidity of Delaware River are recorded 
in Table 132, but the record is far from complete. Two hundred and 
forty turbidity readings were made, nearly 23 per cent of which were 
less than 50 and over 42 per cent were 100 or greater. The lowest 
observed turbidity, 2, was recorded on January 17, and the highest, 
4,998, on March 18. The record shows several sudden rises in 
turbidity, as from 12 on January 18 to 4,000 on January 19, and 
from 60 on March 10 to 4,200 on March 11. The coefficient of fine- 
ness of the composite samples (Table 131) varies widely, being very 
high for some of the samples and low for others. 



256 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Table 151. 



-Analyses of water from Delaware River at Perry, Kans., and Valley Falls, 
Kans.O' 



[Drainage area at Perry, 1,200 (estimated) square miles; at Valley Falls, 951 square miles. Quantities in 
parts per million. Analyses made in ttie chemical laboratories of University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, 
director.] 



Date. 






1 












§ . 

























tC 








"3 


a? 







^ 


^ 




> 
















t>> 


o 
.2 ^ 


C 


"S" 


03 



6 
3 






03 


°4 

03 C- 


w 




CD 


C 


3 


.|o5 



From— 


To- 






1 

B 

m 


O 

o 


03 
o 

m 


c 

a 

1— 1 


■3 



1 

o3 


m 







ft 
3 


03 
u 


3 



C3 



1907. 


1907. 






























Jan. 4 


Jan. 


13 


6 


6.8 


0.13 


13 


0.6 


99 


22 


35 


0.0 


392 


62 


0.6 


21 


408 


Jan. 14 


Jan. 


23 


1,140 


1,186 


1.04 


34 


4.0 


57 


5.8 


32 


.0 


242 


43 - 


6.0 


11 


280 


Jan. 24 


Feb. 


2 


268 


225 


.84 


43 


4.8 


58 


6.0 


29 


.0 


227 


36 


3.3 


6.0 


288 


Feb. 3 


Feb. 


12 


390 


914 


2.34 


33 


4.0 


62 


8.4 


32 


.0 


256 


22 


.2 


12 


500 


Feb. 13 


Feb. 


22 


570 


350 


.61 


29 


.6 


48 


8.4 


27 


.0 


168 


33 


6.6 


6.0 


240 


Feb. 23 


Mar. 


4 


498 


-64 


.73 


40 


.24 


74 


14 


38 


.0 


261 


39 


4.2 


6.9 

7.6 


329 


Mar. 5 


Mar. 


14 


1,338 


968 


.72 


26 


.50 


60 


11 


41 


.0 


227 


41 


4.9 


309 


Mar. 15 


Mar. 


24 


1,044 


679 


.65 


17 


1.8 


76 


17 


30 


.0 


280 


41 


3.6 


8.8 


306 


Mar. 25 


Apr. 


5 


410 


715 


1.74 


14 


3.5 


89 


17 


27 


.0 


371 


43 


3.3 


8.4 


368 


Apr. 6 


Apr. 


16 


111 


151 


1.36 


11 


2.8 


85 




29 


.0 


380 


50 


3.5 


14 


376 


Apr. 17 


Apr. 


29 


60 


69 


1.15 


4.6 


1.0 


83 


"26"" 


33 


.0 


356 


48 


1.8 


14 


368 


Apr. 30 


May 


11 


47 


50 


1.06 


7.6 


3.6 


77 


16 


30 


.0 


350 


46 


1.6 


14 


325 


May 12 


May 


22 


78 


82 


1.05 


11 


1.2 


74 


15 


35 


.0 


365 


49 


2.1 


13 


334 


May 24 


June 


7 


90 


99 


1.10 


10 


1.2 


93 


24 


35 


.0 


357 


48 


2.5 


48 


375 


June 23 


June 


28 


6,125 
1,950 


3,419 
1,031 


.67 












.0 


140 




7.5 


6 




June 12 


June 


22 


.53 


'34'" 


"g.'o' 


"54"' 


"is"' 


""so"" 


.0 


195 


"35'" 


10 


10 


"27i 


June 22 


July 


12 


3,400 


2,354 


.69 


69 


40 


42 


20 


28 


.0 


157 


24 


7.5 


6 


272 


July 13 


July 


23 


560 


611 


1.09 


22 


1.5 


83 


19 


37 


6 5.0 


278 


37 


6.0 


11 


334 


July 24 


Aug. 


4 


425 


365 


.86 


25 


6.0 


68 


22 


33 


.0 


270 


27 


4.5 


12 


286 


Aug. 5 


Aug. 


15 


317 


200 


.63 


20 


1.5 


73 


17 


31 


.0 


255 


34 


3.0 


10 


282 


Aug. 17 


Aug. 


27 


317 


225 


.71 


17 


.09 


68 


18 


33 


.0 


257 


29 


3.0 


13 


283 


Aug. 28 


Sept. 


6 


200 


167 


.84 


24 


.44 


82 


19 


32 


.0 


232 


25 


3.0 


13 


298 


Sept. 7 


Sept. 


17 


317 


254 


.80 


20 


.12 


50 


15 


30 


.0 


195 


31 


3.3 


9.3 


253 


Sept. 18 


Sept. 


28 


115 


118 


1.03 


21 


.06 


44 


17 


37 


6 7.0 


170 


46 


.3 


11 


198 


Oct. 13 


Oct. 


23 


63 


48 


.76 


13 


.30 


73 


19 


22 


69.0 


250 


68 


1.7 


17 


337 


Oct. 24 


Nov. 


22 


42 


44 


1.05 


16 


.14 


84 


19 


43 


.0 


330 


52 


1.2 


20 


377 


Nov. 23 


Nov. 
an 


29 


23 


13 


.57 


13 


.16 


67 


20 


39 


.0 


315 


62 


.8 


18 


322 


Me 


700 


545 


.95 


23 


3.4 


70 


16 


33 


.0 


270 


41 


3.6 


13 


320 




of anliy- 




Per cent 


















^ 












drous r 


esidue. 










6.8 


1.4 


20.8 


4.7 


9.8 


39.4 




12.2 


1.1 


3.8 

















o Valley Falls, Kans., from June 12 to November 29, 1907. 
6 Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 

Note. — Analyses from January 4 to February 12 and from March 15 to October 23, 1907, by F. W. Bush- 
ong; from February 13 to March 14 and from October 24 to November 29, 1907, by Archie J. Weith. 



OSAGE EIVER BASIN. 



257 



Table 132. — Turbidity of daily samples frovi Delaware River at Perry, Kans.,fro7n Jan- 
uary 4 to May 31, 1907, and at Valley Falls, Kans.,from June 1 to November 29, 1907. 

[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. II. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


1 




55 

27 

105 

160 

110 

18 

20 

308 

80 

90 

1,560 

1,750 

933 

1,160 

933 

765 

550 

245 

406 

365 

293 

36 

45 

70 

65 

21 

35 

3S 


613 

700 

1,530 

1, 866 

920 

600 

650 

160 

210 

60 

4,200 

4,200 

473 

1,866 

1,932 

1,866 

500 

4,998 

520 

190 

170 

105 

80 

80 

90 

'"'ioo' 

210 
2,910 


220 

115 

75 

75 

350 

550 

48 

27 

85 

75 

'"'76' 
65 
65 

. 58 
65 
50 
55 
45 

'"43" 
70 


32 

""'45' 
70 
65 
40 
40 


125 
100 












9 














3 








260 
80 
75 
70 






4 . ... 


7 
3 
3 
3 

12 

15 

3 

3 

2 

6 

5 

8 

20 

2 

12 

4,000 

3,600 

1,860 

1,335 

550 

332 

277 

232 

473 

65 

1,100 

50 

65 


70 
120 
140 

60 










5 




305 

275 

1,530 

180 

200 

70 

90 

50 

65 

200 

200 






6 . ... 






7 






8 








9 


24 
65 
62 
95 
55 
55 
60 
55 

115 
60 

125 
80 












10 












11 












12 




47 
26 
24 
4,590 
450 








13 

14 

IT) 




80 
80 
60 




16 




17 


230 

155 

180 

95 

95 

70 

45 

45 

55 

2,600 

150 

105 

100 

600 

562 


"56' 

165 

90 

120 

110 

255 

100 

120 

100 

80 

80 


60 
60 
50 
50 
70 
45 
70 
SO 
00 
50 
60 
45 
24 
12 




IS 

19 

20 

21 . . 




160 
100 
85 
60 
60 
28 
38 
27 
70 
36 
115 
295 
2,100 


'""12 
45 
40 


22 


82 


3.200 
6,600 
7,000 
5,000 
765 
765 
3,480 
4,000 
3,200 


36 


23 


32 


24 


140 

'"m 

30 
40 
65 
30 


85 
82 
110 
120 
100 

eo 

60 
80 


45 


■'S 


16 


26 .. 


24 


27 


18 


28 


15 


29 


15 


30 




31 




50 
















Mean 


502 


366 


1,098 


99 


71 


2,308 


465 


317 


130 


50 


27 







Note.— Averages, June 12 to 17, 95; June 12 to 22, 1,950; July 24 to August 4, 425; September 7 to 17, 317. 
Turbidities over SO were determined by a Jackson turbidimeter and turbidities of 50 or less were deter- 
mined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie M. Burlingame 
and Harvey G. Elledge; a few were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 

At Muscotah (analysis 38, Table 103, p. 207) Delaware Kiver is 
high in both sulphates and carbonates. Little Delaware River at 
Horton carries water having marked permanent and low temporary 
hardness (assay 44, Table 102, p. 205). Tests of the water of Elk 
Creek (analysis 39, Table 103, and assay 45, Table 102) indicate a 
large amount of carbonates and the analysis shows also high sulphates, 
although the assay does not. 

Osage River Basin. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Osage River, called locally in Kansas Marais des Cygnes River, 
rises in the prairies of eastern Kansas about 30 miles southwest of 
Topeka and flows southeastward to its junction with the Missouri 
at Osage, Mo. The entire length of the stream measured along 
the general trend of the valley, the minor bends being neglected, is 
about 280 miles, but its actual length is probably at least 500 miles, 
and the total area of the basin is about 15,300 square miles, ^ of which 
about 4,300 are in Kansas. 

1 Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 172, 1906, p. 264. 
77836°— wsp 273—11 17 



258 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

The stream lias no mountain tributaries but depends for its water 
supply entirely on precipitation within its basin, which ranges from 
35 to 40 inches each year. The stream normally has a gentle current, 
flowing in a fairly deep channel that changes little from year to year. 
High water resulting from heavy rainfall is frequent and extensive 
floods occasionally occur. 

The river falls from an elevation of about 1,225 feet above sea 
level at its source to 755 feet near Ottawa, Kans., in a distance of 50 
miles, but for 25 miles above and below Ottawa the fall is not more 
than 1^ feet to the mile. 

The principal tributary of the Osage in Kansas is Pottawatomie 
Creek, which joins the main stream from the south just below Osa- 
watomie. Marmaton River, which with its tributaries drains all of 
Bourbon County, Kans., unites with the Osage after it has passed 
into Missouri. 

The channels of the Osage and its tributaries in Kansas lie wholly 
within the limestones, sandstones, and shales of the Pennsylvanian. 
The limestones are hard and resist erosion, thus protecting the 
underl3dng shales, which are soft and easily disintegrated. The 
streams have cut through the limestones deep into the shales. 

The bluffs are steep, and their height along the river is determined 
b}^ the westward dip of the limestone beds, which outcrop in succes- 
sion from east to west. These beds are highest at their eastern ends, 
which are sharply elevated above the surrounding country, and the 
bluffs diminish westward at a rate equal to the dip until one bed 
passes beneath the high eastern end of another, when the bluffs 
suddenly increase in height, to become low again as they follow the 
dip of the new system to the west. Thus at Lacygne and Boicourt 
the bluffs are nearly 200 feet high; while at Osawatomie they are 
scarcely 100 feet high; at Ottawa the bluffs are little more than 50 
feet high, but a few miles to the west, where the Oread limestone 
outcrops, the bluffs rise to a height of 200 feet. 

The valley of Osage River varies from 2 to 4 miles in width and the 
stream meanders widely within it. The tributaries have cut their 
channels to a depth equal to that of the Osage itself. The position 
of Osage River was perhaps determined by the huge syncline in the 
limestones in the eastern part of the State, for at Boicourt the river 
has cut through the trough of this fold and it seems reasonable to 
suppose that this feature formed a natural valley in which the river 
developed. A feature of the valley of Osage River is the circular 
mounds, which stand out entirely isolated in the broad valley. They 
owe their existence to protective caps of limstones. 

The topography of the valley of Pottawatomie Creek is pecuHar 
in that from Lane to Osawatomie the valley seems to rise to the east. 
This peculiarity is explained by the fact that all of this part of the 



OSAGE RIVER BASIN. ' 259 

valley is covered by the lola limestone, so that the higher "Garnett" 
limestone, on the surface of which the creek rises, was worn through 
before the Tola hmestone was reached. When that resistant forma- 
tion was encountered vertical corrosion was retarded and lateral 
erosion became the dominant process, so that the widening of the 
valley was far advanced before the lola limestone was cut through. 
Hence it has come about that the valley proper between Lane and 
Ottawa lies above the lola limestone and is 4 or 5 miles wide. The 
creek has now cut through the lola limestone and begun a second 
widening, which has already reached a mile or more in the vicinity 
of Osawatomie. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 
OSAGE RIVER. 

Through the courtesy of C. R. Gray, of the St. Louis and San 
Francisco Railway, the United States Geological Survey maintained 
a daily sampling station on Osage River at Boicourt for a period of 
one year. Samples were collected by J. W. L. Gray. The results 
of the analyses of the composites of these samples are presented in 
Table 133. Other tests of the Osage and its tributaries are recorded 
in Tables 136 and 137. 

A cursory inspection of Tables 136 and 137 shows that every 
stream in the Osage basin in Kansas carries carbonate or bicarbonate 
waters, except a pond on Salt Creek at Osage (analysis 5, Table 
137), a stream from old mines, Scranton (assay 25, Table 136), and 
Cox Creek, Arcadia (assay 82, Table 136), which carry sulphate 
waters. Although the bicarbonates numerically are higher than the 
sulphates in the waters of Salt Creek, Osage (assay 13, Table 
136), and Buck Creek, Fort Scott (assay 70, Table 136), these waters 
should be regarded as sulphate waters, for the chemical ratio ^ of 
sulphates to bicarbonates is greater than that of bicarbonates to 
sulphates. Closer scrutiny of Table 136 shows that Osage River 
above Peoria and its tributaries above Ottawa, including Kenoma 
Creek (assay 36, Table 136), are high in sulphates, although the 
main stream and its tributaries below the points mentioned and 
eastward to the State line are low in sulphates. Erasmus Haworth 
points out (by letter) that in that part of the Osage basin that lies 
above Ottawa many of the streams have not yet reached base level, 
and are therefore cutting down their channels. This means that 
they are constantly coming in contact with new shales. As the 
shales contain comparatively large quantities of pyrite, salt, and 
gypsum, these tributaries of the Osage contribute large quantities 
of sulphates to the main stream. To the east and southeast the 
river and its tributaries have cut to base level and have built up 

1 See classification of waters, pp. 20-21. 



260 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

their flood j^lains, so that their water channels are no longer in imme- 
diate contact with the shales. As the rains are generally as heavy 
eastward as near the source of the river, the aggregate quantity of 
water in the streams is much greater and the sulphate solutions are 
correspondingly diluted. These facts, Haworth states, accord with 
the observation he has made, that in the area under discussion wells 
sunk through soil and clay, or alluvium, produce good water, but 
those that reach the shale are rich in iron and sulphates, because such 
wells bring the oxygen of the air in contact with the pyrite and 
oxidize it. 

The reasons enumerated by Haworth as sufficient to account for 
the sulphates in the tributary streams at the head of Osage River 
are supplemented by the fact that many of the streams are con- 
taminated by coal-mine drainage. 

In general, Tables 136 and 137 show that above Ottawa the water 
of Osage River and its tributaries has moderate temporary and 
great permanent hardness; below Ottawa it has moderate temporary 
and low permanent hardness^ except tributaries at Fort Scott and 
eastward to the Kansas-Missouri State line which have high per- 
manent hardness. As a rule the streams of the Osage River Basin are 
low in chlorides. 

The analyses of the composites of the Osage at Boicourt (Table 
133) show a calcic alkaline water which at times contains sufficient 
calcium, magnesium, and sulphates to give it high permanent hard- 
ness. The temporary hardness of the water, according to the 
analyses in Table 133, is never very high and is^sometimes low. The 
chlorides are also low, and the total dissolved solids in few of the 
samples rise to 300 parts per million. 

Two good series of daily turbidity readings on the water of the 
Osage are available. The results of the first series are recorded in 
Table 134; the observations were made with a United States Geolog- 
ical Survey turbidity rod at Ottawa from August, 1904, to July, 1905. 
In this table, too, are recorded observations made with the rod at 
Lacygne during the month of June, 1904. The highest turbidity 
recorded during the period from August, 1904, to July, 1905, was 
3,000 on March 25, and several times during July, 1905; the lowest 
turbidity, 17, was recorded on September 29, 1904. From September 
6, 1904, to February 22, 1905, the turbidity was always less than 100, 
and during most of the time was less than 50. During the month of 
May and from June 19 to July 13, 1905, the river was turbid most of 
the time. All of the turbidities recorded at Lacygne are high, 
especially the reading of 5,700 on June 21. The turbidity readings 
recorded in Table 135 were made on the daily samples at Boicourt, 
and cover the period from December, 1906, to November, 1907. 
Three hundred and forty-six readings were made, of which about 16 



OSAGE RIVEE BASIN. 



261 



per cent were less than 50, nearly 47 per cent 100 or more, and a little 
over 10 per cent were over 1,000. In the 1906-7 period the river 
was generally more turbid than it was from August, 1904, to July, 
1905. The highest turbidity in Table 135 is 3,792, on June 9 and 10, 
1907; the lowest turbidity occurred on February 5. From December 
6, 1906, to January 16, 1907, all the readings, with the exception of 
one, are less than 100; as also from April 8 to 29, 1907, and, with the 
exception of two readings, from September 7 to November 20, 1907. 
From April 30 to July 12, 1907, and from July 29, to September 5, 
1907, the turbidity readings were high. The coefficient of fineness, 
Table 133, varies considerably, but much of the time it is rather low, 
showing that the suspended matter is in a somewhat finely divided 
condition. 

Table 133. — Analyses of water from Osage River, at Boicourt, Kans. 



[Drainage area, 2,700 square miles. Q 


u an titles in 


parts per million. Analyses 


made in the chemical 




laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. 


H. S. 


Bailey, director.] 








Date. 




-2 


i 










1^ 


















>> 


03 
0) 


o 


o 




O 






d 
o 

0) 


o3 

^8 


d 

2- 


1 


5 


> 






'^2 








T3 


(B Cl 


M 


^ 








ca 








H) 


— '"o 


From— 


To— 




a 


ia 


C3. 
o 




o 


1 
™ 


is 


o 


03 


CD 

1 




03 " 






S 

&H 




8 

o 


i3 


2 


■cS 


a 


02 




pq 


"3 


S 


3 
O 


O 


1906. 


1906. 


























Nov. 29 


Dee. 8 


220 


169 


0.77 


22.0 


a2.4 


68 


6.0 


41 


0.0 


232 


43 


3.7 


10 


293 


Dec. 9 


Dee. 18 


70 


51 


.73 




3.0 


58 


8.7 


34 


.0 


202 


46 


3.6 


9.0 


269 


Dec. 19 


Dec. 28 
1907. 


44 


27 


.61 


ig'" 


1.6 


70 


18 


29 


.0 


236 


51 


4.0 


8.8 


276 


Dec. 30 


Jan. 8 


83 


57 


.69 


19 


1.4 


75 


4.8 


33 


.0 


260 


43 


4.8 


12 


295 


1907. 
































Jan. 9 


Jan. 18 


64 


64 


.84 


21 


.30 


41 


1.9 


25 


&12 


241 


35 


4.4 


10 


293 


Jan. 19. 


Jan. 28 


1,016 


808 


.80 


39 


4.0 


43 


7.2 


22 


.0 


138 


37 


8.0 


3.9 


220 


Jan. 29 


Feb. 7 


55 


51 


.93 


45 


1.8 


87 


6.8 


27 


611 


278 


40 


5.7 


8.3 


352 


Feb. 8 


Feb. 17 


247 


176 


.71 


27 


.24 


77 


12 


36 


.0 


249 


49 


3.6 


6.9 


310 


Feb. 19 


Feb. 28 


67 


41 


.61 


42 


.30 


105 


5.6 


31 


.0 


248 


46 


6.2 


8.4 


327 


Mar. 1 


Mar. 11 


1,007 


686 


.68 


29 


.50 


69 


8.7 


26 


.0 


204 


50 


4.0 


6.9 


298 


Mar. 12 


Mar. 21 


810 


613 


.76 


19 


3.4 


OS 


2.6 


20 


.0 


192 


44 


4.8 


4.1 


259 


Mar. 22 


Mar. 31 


516 


378 


.73 


20 


5 


70 


3.1 


24 


6 3.1 


260 


43 


2.2 


8.2 


298 


Apr. 1 


Apr. 10 


297 


212 


.71 


12 


1.5 


73 


3.7 


20 


.0 


240 


39 


2.3 


7.6 


275 


Apr. 11 


Apr. 21 


45 


45 


1.00 


7.2 


1.0 


84 


2.0 


22 


.0 


275 


44 


1.2 


11 


292 


Apr. 22 


May 2 


286 


291 


1.02 


9.0 


2.0 


74 


11 


26 


.0 


247 


39 


1.7 


12 


277 


May 3 


May 13 


473 


410 


.87 


19 


5 


65 


2.0 


23 


.0 


195 


40 


6.0 


6.0 


249 


May 14 


May 23 


700 


692 


.99 


17 


1.2 


73 


11 


20 


.0 


232 


42 


6.5 


6.0 


277 


May 24 


June 4 


100 


109 


1.09 


21 


.8 


90 


3.6 


18 


.0 


273 


42 


4.0 


9.0 


303 


June 5 


June 14 


1,850 


1,479 


.80 


20 


6 


57 


9.9 


22 


.0 


185 


33 


6.0 


7.0 


239 


June 15 


June 24 


1,140 


846 


.74 


23 


5 


57 


19 


28 


.0 


187 


31 


7.0 


4.0 


232 


June 25 


July 10 


1,200 


1,094 


.91 




3.5 


48 


13 


21 


.0 


170 


31 


6.0 


5.0 


180 


July 11 


July 21 


84 


82 


.98 


32'" 


2 


78 


16 


35 


610 


238 


33 


3.5 


12.0 


310 


July 22 


Aug. 1 


139 


231 


1.66 


23 


2 


64 


8.8 


23 


6 9.0 


125 


32 


.6 


4.0 


228 


Aug. 2 


Aug. 11 


210 


135 


.64 


58 


12 


32 


12 


25 


617 


152 


21 


3.8 


5 


234 


Aug. 12 


Aug. 21 


282 


223 


.79 


36 


3.6 


65 


15 


39 


.0 


188 


24 


3.2 


11 


245 


Aug. 22 


Sept. 3 


284 


205 


.72 


23 


.7 


47 


11 


19 


.0 


145 


20 


3.0 


5 


186 


Sept. 4 


Sept. 17 


80 


73 


.91 


45 


.22 


49 


11 


27 


.0 


190 


19 


1.9 


8 


237 


Sept. 18 


Sept. 29 


75 


52 


.69 


19 


.20 


65 


12 


27 


.0 


198 


22 


.6 


10 


215 


Sept. 30 


Oct. 14 


80 


51 


,64 


15 


.16 


58 


12 


26 


6 5.0 


205 


25 


.3 


13 


233 


Oct. 15 


Oct. 24 


55 


31 


.56 


15 


.14 


72 


35 


34 


.0 


245 


27 


.5 


22 


279 


Oct. 25 


Nov. 4 


42 


34 


.81 


17 


.15 


70 


14 


22 


.0 


248 


32 


1.2 


26 


293 


Nov. 5 


Nov. 17 


36 


18 


.50 


12 


.36 


74 


11 


42 


.0 


280 


34 


.9 


43 


333 


Nov. 18 


Nov. 30 


85 


59 


.69 


13 


.12 


83 


13 


43 


.0 


250 


32 


.8 


26 


290 


Mean . 


356 


287 


.80 


24 


2.2 


67 


12 


28 


.0 


222 


36 


3.5 


10 


270 


Per cen 


t of anhy- 






























drous 


residue . . 








8.2 


1.1 


22.9 


4.1 


9.6 


37.2 




12.3 


1.2 


3.4 

















aAl=1.8. 



6 Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 



Note.— Analyses from November 29, 1906, to February 7, 1907, and from March 12 to November 17, 1907, 
by F. W. Bushong; from February 8 to March 11 and from November 18 to 30, 1907, by Archie J. Weith. 



262 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



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OSAGE EIVER BASIN. 



263 



Table 135. — Turbidity of daily samples from Osage River, at Boicourt, Kans. 
[ Readings made in the clieinical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E . H. S . Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


Dec, 
1906. 


1907. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


1 

2 


60 

63 

440 

490 

345 

235 

155 

130 

90 

105 

65 

70 

60 

70 

80 

60 

53 

45 

45 

40 

55 

55 

40 

42 

45 

42 

40 

38 


75 

75 

75 

85 

50 

40 

36 

278 

70 

65 

30 

28 

27 

26 

27 

18 

190 

150 

2,700 

1,860 

1,230 

976 

976 

812 

510 

532 

385 

180 

135 

105 

110 


60 
60 
48 
14 
18 
5 

15 
13 
16 
18 
45 

"556" 

532 

512 

370 

290 

125 

125 

150 

110 

70 

65 

50 

32 

30 

20 

22 


30 

18 

900 

1,866 

1,530 

800 

562 

520 

412 

"2,' 436' 

1,872 

1,992 

1,400 

966 

580 

450 

340 

230 

160 

110 

110 

80 

70 

60 

48 

48 

45 

60 

2,700 

1,866 


1,200 
700 
325 
190 
85 
130 
120 
90 
65 
65 
65 
65 
50 
42 
52 
52 
36 

"26' 
32 
32 
23 
52 
28 
40 
34 
27 

""75" 
1,000 


966 
613 
473 
317 
245 
385 
1,226 
1,000 

"""425" 
260 
200 
200 
3,192 
1,866 
632 
275 
210 
200 
180 
125 
180 
150 
115 
110 

96" 

80 
80 
110 
80 


70 

110 

175 

80 

68 

68 

200 

3,000 

3,792 

3,792 

2,760 

2,295 

650 

1,866 

2,799 

2,310 

1,866 

613 

400 

304 

580 

866 

613 

1,084 

2,200 

2,220 

1,300 

933 

800 

1,530 


2,000 

3,500 

1,464 

1,666 

650 

406 

295 

170 

100 

120 

120 

115 

85 

68 

75 

'"'95' 
95 
65 
65 
65 
65 
65 
85 
50 
50 
65 
70 
125 
295 


520 

406 

390 

315 

255 

160 

160 

130 

100 

110 

80 

75 

75 

55 

95 

135 

613 

473 

270 

200 

833 

765 

650 

435 

" '266' 
180 
165 
175 
165 
160 


"ioo' 

125 
115 
100 

""90" 
80 
70 
70 
65 
80 

""85" 
75 
70 
65 
80 
85 
70 

'""so" 

70 
70 
70 
75 
80 
70 
90 


90 
50 
130 
90 

""ioo" 


40 


3 


36 


4 . . . . 


40 


5 


50 


6. 


50 


7 ... 




8 


90 
70 

'"'55' 
55 
70 
70 
55 
70 
70 
60 
60 
60 
40 
45 
36 
50 
50 
45 
50 
50 
45 
24 
40 


60 


9 


60 


10 


36 


11 


45 


12 

13 

14 


24 
18 


15 

16 

17. . . 


18 
15 

18 


18 


24 


19 


18 


20 


16 


21 

22 . . 


240 
120 


23 

24 

25 

26 


120 
100 
70 
32 


27 

28 

29 


90 
100 
100 


30... . 


35 

82 


70 


31 












Mean 


106 


382 


125 


742 


168 


482 


1,311 


416 


278 


81 


61 


60 



Note. — Turbidities over 50 were determined with a Jackson turbidimeter and turbidities of 50 or less 
were determined by coniparison with silica standards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie M. Bur- 
lingame and Harvey G. Elledge; a few were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 

Table 136. — Assays of water of Osage River and of its tributaries in Kansas. 

[Parts per million.] 



No. 



Date. 





1905. 


1 


June 16 


2 


...do 


3 


...do 


4 


Jime 17 


5 


June 16 


6 


...do 


7 


June 19 


8 


...do 


9 


June 20 




1907. 


10 


Aug. 22 


11 


June 19 


12 


...do 




1905. 


13 


June 14 


14 


June 20 


15 


...do 


16 


June 13 



...do. 



Stream and place. 



Elm Creek, north of Reading a 

142 Mile Creek, northwest of Reading a . 
Duck Creek, northwest of Reading a ... 

Osage River, at Reading a 

Cherry Creek, 4 miles east of Reading b 

Cole Creek, southwest of Arvonia a 

Osage River, at Melvern 

Long Creek, east of Melvern a 

Osage River, at Quenemo a 



Rock Creek, at Waverly 

Rock Creek, at Melvern a 

Tugua Creek, southwest of Quenemo a 



Salt Creek, at Osage City , 

Salt Creek, north of Quenemo o 

Osage River below Salt Creek, east of Lomax a 
Dragoon Creek above confluence with Soldier 

Creek 

Soldier Creek above confluence with Dragoon 

Creek 



Iron 
(Fe). 


Car- 


Bicar- 


Sul- 


bonate 


bonate 


phate 


(CO3). 


(HCO3) 


(SOj). 


0.5 


23 


191 


67 


1.0 


0.0 


282 


85 


1.5 


.0 


170 


106 


Trace. 


.0 


216 


132 


. 


10.0 


263 


116 


.0 


.0 


299 


215 


3.0 


Trace. 


202 


72 


1.2 


.0 


251 


71 


1.2 


.0 


252 


48 


.0 


.0 


174 


Trace. 


1.0 


.0 


292 


46 


.5 


Trace. 


294 


53 


.0 


11 


232 


191 


.0 


.0 


299 


44 


.0 


.0 


299 


37 


.0 


.0 


293 


76 


.0 


Trace. 


261 


101 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



a By Edwaxd Baxtow. 



6 In pools; not running. By Edward Bartow. 



264 QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Table 136. — Assays of ivater of Osage River and of its tributaries in Kansas — Continued. 



Date. 



1905. 
June 13 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

July 30 
June 20 

...do 

June 17 
June 16 

...do 

...do 

June 17 

...do 

June 15 

June 17 

June 22 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

June 23 

...do 

...do 

June 22 

1907. 
Apr. 23 

1905. 
June 22 
...do 

...do 

June 23 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

1907. 
Apr. 22 

1905. 
June 22 

...do 

...do 

...do 

June 25 



Stream and place. 



Dragoon Creek, above confluence with Switzler 
Creek 

Hoover Creek, above Switzler Creek, at Bm'- 
lingame 

Switzler Creek, above Burlingame and above 
Hoover Creek 

Switzler Creek, above Dragoon Creek 

Dragoon Creek, one-fourth mile below Switzler 
Creek 

School Creek •. 

Popcorn Creek 

Stream from old mines at Scrantono 

Dragoon Creek, east of Lomax 6 .- , 

Osage River, below Dragoon Creek 6 

Wilson Creek, west of Ottawa 

Muddy Creek, west of Ottawa 

Appanoose Creek, west of Ottawa 

Eight Mile Creek, west of Ottawa 

Middle Creek, east of Ottawa 

Ottawa Creek, above Peoria 

Osage River, at Ottawa, above sewer outlets 
and below gas house 

Osage River, at highway bridge between Imes 
and Peoria 

Kenoma Creek, 8.5 miles west and 2 miles 
north of Garnett b 

North Pottawatomie Creek, 8 miles west and 2 
miles north of Garnett 6 

lantha Creek, 1 mile west and 4 miles north of 
Glenloch b 

Sac Creek, 3 miles west and 3 miles south of 
Richmond & 

Cedar Creek, west of Garnett & '. 

Pottawatomie Creek, 2 miles west and 5 miles 
north of Garnett b 

South Fork Pottawatomie Creek, above Gree- 
ley b 

North Pottawatomie Creek, 2.5 miles west of 
Greeley, above South Pork b 

Pottawatomie Creek, one-half mile west and 
1 J- miles north of Greeley b 

Pottawatomie Creek, at Osawatomie, three- 
fourths mile from mouth 



Pottawatomie Creek, at Osawatomie, at bridge 
near Missouri Paciiie Ry. roundhouse c 



Plum Creek, one-half mile from mouth d 

Osage River, at waterworks intake, Osawato- 
mie 



Osage River, south of Paola, above BuH Creek, 
Big Bull Creek, above Little Bull Creek, north 

of Paola , 

Little Bull Creek, 6 J miles north of Paola 

Big Bull Creek, above Ten Mile Creek, north 

of Paola 

Ten Mile Creek, 4 miles north of Paola 

Walnut Creek, IJ miles northwest of Paola 

Bull Creek, at Bridge Street bridge, south of 

Paola e 



Iron 
(Fe). 



.do. 



South Wea Creek, above North Wea Creek, 

northeast of Paola 

North Wea Creek, above South Wea Creek, 

northeast of Paola 

Wea Creek, three-fom'ths mile above mouth, 

southeast of Paola 

Bull Creek, one-fourth mile above mouth, 

south of Paola 

Osage River, at St. Louis & San Francisco Ry. 

bridge, northwest of Lacygne 



Trace. 

.0 

.0 
.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.0 
1.2 
.5 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

Trace. 
.0 

.0 

Trace. 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.5 
Trace. 

Trace. 
.0 

Trace. 

.0 

Trace. 

.0 

.0 

.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 



Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 



Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3) 



.0 
Trace. 

.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
12.0 
.0 
Trace. 
.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 
.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 

Ji 

.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 
.0 

.0 

Trace. 



.0 
.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 
Trace. 
.0 
.0 
.0 



279 
271 



266 
302 
302 
338 
256 
279 
232 
251 
267 
256 
228 
232 

251 

228 

154 

174 

ISO 

110 
199 

173 

201 

213 

202 

206 

254 

251 

105 
130 

88 
256 

171 
225 
235 

190 

234 



217 
247 
238 
184 
160 



Sul- 
phate 
(SOO- 



94 
136 

54 

82 

116 
215 

108 



52 
46 
127 
40 
41 
68 

Trace. 

Trace. 

67 
71 



Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 
Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 



Trace. 



Trace. 
Trace. 

Trace. 
Trace. 

Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 



Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 



a By Edward Bartow. 
b By Edward Bartow. 
cRainiiightof22d. 



SO4 above 626. 



d Stagnant. 

« Creek streaked with oil. 



OSAGE RIVER BASIN. 265 

Table 136. — Assays of water of Osage River and of its tributaries in Kansas — Continued. 



No. 



Date. 





1905. 


62 


June 25 


63 


...do 


64 


...do 


65 


...do 


6(i 


June 26 


()7 


June 25 


68 


June 26 


(i9 


...do 


70 


...do 


71 


...do..... 


72 


June 27 


73 


...do..... 


74 


...do 


75 


...do 


76 


...do 


77 


...do 


78 


...do 


79 


...do 


SO 


...do 


81 


...do 


82 


...do 


83 


...do 


84 


...do 


85 


...do 


86 


July 1 



Stream and place. 



Hushpuckney Creek, below Middle Creek, 2i 
miles north and 3 miles west of Lacygne a . . 

Elm Creek, one-half mile north and 4J miles 
west of Lacygne b 

Osage River, at bridge at Lacygne b 

Middle Creek, 1 \ miles east of Lacygne b 

Lake, at Boicom't b 

Sugar Creek, 6 miles east of Lacygne & .". 

Osage River, below Sugar Creek b 

Little Sugar Creek, southwest of Boicourtb . . . 

Big Sugar Creek, southwest of Boicourt b 

Mine Creek, southeast of Pleasanton b 

Marmaton River, one-fom'th mile above Paw- 
nee Creek, southwest of Fort Scott 

Pawnee Creek, above Yellow Paint Creek, 
south of Marmaton 

Yellow Paint Creek, above Pawnee Creek, 
south of Marmaton 

Pawnee Creek, below Yellow Paint Creek, 
south of Marmaton 

Marmaton River, at waterworks intake, Fort 
Scott 

Mill Creek, near mouth, Fort Scott 

Buck Creek, at Missouri Pacific Rv. track. Fort 
Scott ' 

Marmaton River, below Buck Creek, Fort 
Scott 

Rock Creek, at mouth. Fort Scott 

West Fork of Dry Wood Creek, southwest of 
Garland b 

Cox Creek, at St. Louis &. San Francisco pump- 
ing station, Arcadia b 

Buck Run, 1| miles west and 1 mile south of 
Garland b 

Clever Creek, 2 miles west of Fulton c 

Little Osage River, northeast of Fulton c 

Fish Creek, 4 mile south of Fulton 



Iron 
(Fe). 



.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 

Trace. 

.0 

.0 

.0 

Trace. 
.0 



.5 
.5 

.0 

.0 

.0 
Trace. 

.0 
Trace. 



Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 



0.0 

.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 

Trace. 

Trace. 
.0 
.0 

Trace. 

.0 
.0 
.0 

Trace. 

11 

12 



283 

251 
256 
283 
149 
271 
239 
266 
189 
271 

243 

232 

232 

235 

177 
216 



282 
335 

171 

101 

239 
46 
S3 
66 



Sul- 
phate 
(SO,). 



Trace. 

Trace. 
36 
Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

62 

287 
ip 



61 

140 

97 
Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



12 

4.6 
30 
10 

4.6 
10 
30 
12 

7 

7 

6 

10 

6 

6 

20 
12 



63 
132 

4 

4 

6 
6 
6 
6 



a At Achey Ford. By Edward Bartow. b By Edward Bartow. 

Note.— Trace in the sulphate column means less than 35 parts per million. 



c In flood. 



266 



QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 









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1 



OSAGE RIVER BASIN. , 267 

MARMATON RIVER. 

A daily sampling station was maintained by the United States 
Geological Survey on Marmaton River at Fort Scott from February 
1, 1907, to February 10, 1908. James Burton was collector. 

The results of the analyses of composite samples appear in Table 138. 
These analyses cover a period of one year and show a calcic alkaline 
water of moderate temporary and low permanent hardness. The 
chlorides are low. 

The turbidity of the daily samples is recorded in Table 139. Three 
hundred and seventeen readings are entered; over 91 per cent of 
these are less than 50, and but a fraction over 1 per cent were 100 or 
more. The turbidity from February 1, 1907, to January 17, 1908, 
was low. During February, March, and April the turbidity was never 
greater than 20, and much of this time it was less than 10. The river 
was most turbid during May and June, and the turbidity fluctuated 
considerably. From July to the end of the period the turbidity was 
low, rising above 50 only three times. The highest turbidity recorded 
was 295 on June 14, and the lowest 3, which was noted several times. 
The coefficient of fineness. Table 138, varies considerably, but much 
of the time was so low as to indicate that provision should be made for 
the use of a coagulant in filtration works designed to purify the water 
for public consumption. 

Tests of the water of Marmaton River and its tributaries at and 
above the waterworks at Fort Scott appear in assays 72 to 76, Table 
136. The waters of these streams have moderate temporary and low 
permanent hardness and low chlorides, just as most of the other 
tributaries of the Osage have. The waters of Mill Creek' and Buck 
Creek, which enter Marmaton River below the waterworks, are shown 
by assays 77 and 78, Table 136, to be high in sulphates, which are 
apparently derived from the coal-measure shales. The effect of these 
tributaries on the water of Marmaton River is shown by assay 79, 
Table 136. Tests of tributaries of Drywood Creek, assays 81, 82, and 
83, Table 136, show that these streams likewise are sulphated by the 
shales. Tests of Little Marmaton River and its tributaries at a time 
when they are in flood (assays 84, 85, and 86, Table 136) show very 
soft waters, but in no wise represent the quality of the water in these 
streams when they are at normal stage. 



268 



QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Table 138. — Analyses of ivater from Marmaton River at Fort Scott, Kans. 

[Drainage area 300 (estimated) square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in the 
clicmical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. II. S. Bailey, director.] 



Date. 




u 


i 














o 








2 






4J 

s 

■S 
ft 


o 

i 


O 

m 

03 


&- 
fl 


"5" 
o 

a 


S 

a 




o 
o 

a 
o 


o 
K 

a? 
"S 

a 
o 

03 


6 

m 

0) 

% 


O 




o 


From — 


To— 


-d 
> 
'o 

"3 










(D 








« 
% 


X) 


tH 


o 








+j 






^ 


m 


O 


S 


o 
u 

h-l 


"3 
o 


o 
m 


C3 


5 


3 

m 


2 


o 


o 


1907. 


1907. 






























Feb. 1 


Feb. 10 


15 


9 


0.60 


16 


3.2 


84 


3.3 


21 


0.0 


257 


38 


6.0 


10 


277 


Feb. 11 


Feb. 20 


7 


8 ■- 


1.14 


16 


.24 


89 


7.6 


21 


.0 


283 


41 


3.5 


4.0 


297 


Feb. 21 


Mar. 2 


8 


5 


.62 


70 


.10 


-91 


5.5 


30 


a 8.0 


256 


45 


2.3 


4.2 


366 


Mar. 3 


Mar. 12 


11 


5.4 


.49 


48 


.36 


88 


7.5 


29 


a 6. 7 


246 


44 


.7 


4.1 


344 


Mar. 13 


Mar. 22 


7 


4 


.57 


4 


1.0 


85 


8.3 


17 


.0 


250 


43 


.2 


4.1 


268 


Mar. 23 


Apr. 1 


9 


3.4 


.38 


1.5 


.6 


83 


1.6 


23 


.0 


229 


43 


.1 


4.6 


280 


Apr. 2 


Apr. 11 


15 


9 


.60 


8.0 


1.5 


77 


9.3 


18 


.0 


240 


46 


.6 


2.3 


268 


Apr. 12 


Apr. 21 


12 


6.4 


.53 


5.4 


1.2 


96 


1.3 


16 


.0 


287 


47 


.4 


6.0 


294 


Apr. 22 


May 1 


12 


4.4 


.37 


2.6 


1.4 


94 


1.3 


20 


.0 


280 


45 


.7 


7.5 


291 


May 2 


May 11 


58 


57 


.98 


8.4 


5.0 


67 


2.9 


20 


.0 


181 


38 


5.5 


3.5 


224 


May 12 


May 21 


54 


58 


1.07 


15 


3.5 


67 


6.9 


14 


.0 


205 


33 


4.5 


4.0 


238 


May 23 


June 3 


14 


4 


.28 


10 


1.5 


86 


3.7 


25 


.0 


285 


36 


3.2 


5.5 


274 


June 4 


June 13 


23 


16 


.70 


13 


1.0 


89 


8.5 


21 


.0 


280 


34 


1.9 


6.0 


270 


June 14 


June 25 


80 


53 


.66 


18 


2.0 


65 


23 


36 


.0 


172 


34 


7.2 


2.0 


296 


June 26 


July 5 


44 


37 


.84 


18 


5 


59 


8.6 


18 


.0 


178 


24 


4.0 


2.5 


205 


July 6 


July 15 


22 


17 


.77 


12 


3 


73 


19 


23 


.0 


235 


27 


2.6 


2.0 


226 


July 16 


July 29 


20 


11 


.55 


14 


1.5 


68 


12 


19 


ol4 


240 


28 


1.8 


5.5 


196 


July 30 


Aug, 9 


22 


15 


.68 


9.0 


1.0 


80 


11 


23 


.0 


280 


28 


1.0 


4.0 


257 


Aug. 10 


Aug. 26 


15 







12 


.8 


79 


11 


37 


.0 


260 


26 


.7 


5.0 


251 


Aug. 27 


Sept. 6 


13 


2.0 


""i5" 


9.0 


.11 


84 


11 


19 


a 3.0 


260 


21 


.7 


4.0 


242 


Sept. 8 


Sept. 19 


12 


8.6 


.72 


10 


.04 


79 


9.7 


18 


.0 


258 


20 


.9 


5.4 


247 


Sept. 20 


Oct. 5 


17 


3.6 


-21 


10 


.04 


83 


14 


28 


.0 


290 


34 


.0 


5.5 


289 


Oct. 7 


Oct. 20 


17 


6.0 


,35 


5.2 


.02 


83 


12 


20 


.0 


270 


25 


1.5 


6.5 


257 


Oct. 21 


Oct. 31 


10 


4 


.40 


14 


.10 


89 


11 


20 


.0 


285 


24 


.6 


7.0 


279 


Nov. 1 


Nov. 10 


14 


6.4 


,46 


11 


.13 


86 


9.8 


21 


.0 


278 


29 


1.0 


7.0 


273 


Nov. 11 


Nov. 20 


11 


4 


.36 


11 


.14 


88 


10 


15 


.0 


265 


21 


.5 


7.0 


266 


Nov. 21 


Dec. 3 


12 


3.4 


,28 


9.0 


.12 


79 


10 


24 


.0 


255 


24 


.5 


6.5 


265 


Dee. 4 


Dec. 15 


13 


3.0 


.23 


11 


.06 


94 


9.2 


26 


.0 


275 


21 


.5 


7.0 


258 


Dec. 17 


Dec. 26 

1908. 


14 


6.6 


,47 


9.0 


.14 


76 


8.7 


25 


.0 


250 


32 


.6 


6.0 


259 


Dec. 17 


Jan. 7 


36 


18 


.50 


18 


.40 


78 


7.8 


23 


.0 


213 


37 


3.0 


5.5 


236 


1908. 
































Jan. 8 


Jan. 17 


42 


34 


.81 


18 


.6 


74 


6.8 


25 


.0 


218 


51 


2.0 


4.5 


252 


Jan. 18 


Jan. 27 


45 


13 


.29 


14 


.25 


89 


7.8 


20 


.0 


220 


48 


2.0 


5.0 


264 


Jan. 28 


Feb. 9 


12 


7.6 


.63 


11 


,40 


82 


8.0 


30 


.0 


250 


52 


2.1 


5.9 


289 


Feb. 10 


Feb. 19 


32 


35 


1.10 


14 


.18 


81 


7.5 


24 


.0 


245 


48 


1.7 


6.0 


277 


Mean 


22 


14 


.55 


14 


1.1 


81 


8.7 


23 


.0 


251 


35 


1.9 


5.2 


267 


Per cent of anhy- 






























drous r 


esidue 








4.8 


.5 


27.5 


3.0 


7.8 


42.1 




11.9 


.6 


1.8 















a, Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 

Note. — Analyses from February 11 to March 12, 1907, and from December 4, 1907, to February 19,1908, 
by Archie J. Weith; from March 13 to December 3, 1907, by F. W. Bushong. 



ARKANSAS EIVER. 



269 



Table 139. — Turbidity of daily samples from Marmaton River at Fort Scott, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


1907. 


Jan., 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1908. 


1 


10 

4 

20 

12 

18 

20 

20 

Iff 

14 

14 

9 

9 

8 

3 

10 
5 
5 
3 
5 
5 
5 
3 
6 
6 
5 
11 
16 
7 


14 
6 
10 
9 
12 
8 
10 
10 
6 
14 
15 
15 
8 
7 
14 
7 
5 
3 
5 
7 
5 
8 
8 
9 
9 
9 

14 
8 
10 
13 
13 


9 
11 
16 
10 

18 
18 
18 
13 
15 
13 
13 
17 
13 
13 
14 
9 
13 
14 
10 
9 
3 
9 
13 
8 
3 
5 
10 
8 
9 
9 


• 28 
45 
50 
45 
36 
38 
36 
90 

100 
80 
60 
24 
32 
60 
36 
70 

125 
75 
55 
34 
32 

'"is" 

12 
5 
8 

15 

16 
5 

12 


13 
14 
16 
18 
24 
10 
15 
10 
9 
16 
14 
50 
65 
295 
210 
85 
55 
50 

"34" 

'""is" 

15 
25 
22 
65 
18 
26 
65 
47 


30 
34 
62 
55 
60 
40 
34 
24 
15 
22 
25 
12 
24 

9 
15 
12 
15 

9 
18 
15 

7 


14 
24 
25 
13 
13 
26 


IS 
12 
10 
8 
5 
16 


10 

8 

"""i2" 

'"""s" 

16 

""'i2" 

45 
32 

"""ie" 

10 
12 

"""is" 

10 
10 
8 
12 
12 
16 
12 
S 
5 
5 
8 


16 
10 
10 
IS 

8 
18 
15 
10 
16 
15 

S 
10 
15 
16 
10 

8 
10 

S 
10 
12 
10 
16 

"""io" 
s 

24 
16 
18 
5 


S 
10 
12 
15 
10 
12 
15 

8 
12 

8 
15 
16 
16 

"is" 

"""5" 
12 

15 
12 
30 
15 

8 
15 
16 

8 
12 
24 
24 
36 


50 


2 




3 


45 


4 


50 


5 . ... 


45 


6 


32 


7 


40 


8 


22 
22 
14 
14 
15 
18 
18 
15 

"""is' 


10 
S 
16 
15 
10 
8 
18 
12 
18 
12 
10 
10 
16 


40 


9 


40 


10 


60 


11 


45 


12 ... 


45 


13 


50 


14 


60 


15 


40 


16 


18 


17 


36 


18 




19 . . 




20 




21 




22 




23 




15 
10 


"""26" 
30 
16 
12 
30 
16 
15 




24 




25 




26 


22 
27 
26 
45 
32 
31 


12 
15 
16 
16 

"""is" 




27 




28 




29 




30 






31 




10 






















, Mean 


10 


9 


11 


43 


46 


26 


17 


14 


13 


12 


14 


43 







Note. — Averages: January 18 to 27, 45; Tanuary 28 to February 9, 12. Turlsidities over 50 were deter- 
mined with a Jackson turbidimeter, and turbidities of 50 or less were determined by comparison with 
silica standards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie M. Burlingame and Harvey G. Elledge; a 
few were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 

ARKANSAS RIVER DRAINAGE BASIN 

Arkansas River. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Arkansas River is formed near Leadville, Colo., by the union of 
three small streams — East, Lake, and Tennessee forks — that derive 
their waters from the melting of the almost perpetual snow which 
mantles the high peaks of the Saguache, Sangre de Cristo, and Culebra 
Ranges. From the junction of the forks the river flows a little east 
of south for about 75 miles, then turns to the east and cuts through a 
canyon whose perpendicular walls attain elevations of over 2,000 feet 
above the water's edge, emerging finally on the plains near Canon 
City ; from Canon City to the Colorado-Kansas State line its general 
course is eastward for about 200 miles. 

Entering Kansas a short distance west of Coolidge, the river runs 
for 140 miles by general course a little south of east, passing across 
Hamilton, Kearny, Finney, and Gray counties to a point east of 
Ford, in Ford County, where it turns and flows northeastward across 



270 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Edwards and Pawnee counties to Barton County. There it swings in 
a broad curve, known as the Great Bend, to the east and southeast, 
traversing Rice, Reno, Harvey, Sedgwick, Sumner, and Cowley 
counties. Southeast of Davidson, in Cowley County, it passes into 
Kay County, Okla., beyond which it continues its southeasterly course 
to its junction with the Mississippi in northern Arkansas. The entire 
length of the stream from source to mouth, measured along the gen- 
eral course, is about 1,100 miles. Its drainage area comprises approxi- 
mately 188,000 square miles, of which 44,500 square miles are above 
Arkansas City, Kans. 

For about 120 miles from its source the river is a typical mountain 
torrent, descending in this distance from an elevation of 10,100 feet to 
about 5,300 feet above sea level. Its waters are clear and its bed is 
rocky. As it enters the plains region its gradient diminishes, its 
breadth increases, it becomes unable at ordinary stages to carry the 
load of detritus collected in the more rapid portion above, and this 
detritus is gradually deposited, forming low, sandy banks and bars, 
which block the course and cause the stream to shift its bed. At high 
stage this material is again caught up. The banks are eaten away, 
and very considerable changes of channel result from a single flood. 
The lower course of the river is bordered by wide alluvial bottom 
lands, and the valley gradually merges with the valley of the Missis- 
sippi. From Coolidge to the eastern edge of Ford County, Kans., the 
flood plain of the Arkansas averages 3 miles in width, and is limited 
on the north by a somewhat abrupt bluff line, which is prominent 
throughout the whole district, except for a few miles in the vicinity of 
Garden. From Coolidge southeastward to Hartland the north bluff 
IS composed of the Benton group ; below Hartland it is made up of 
Tertiary deposits. The '^ mortar beds" are well developed through 
the greater part of this distance and, as they offer strong resistance 
to erosion, produce unusually abrupt bluffs. 

From the eastern part of Ford County to the vicinity of Larned 
bluff" lines are scarcely noticeable on the north side of the river. 
From Larned to beyond Great Bend the Dakota sandstone and the 
Benton group, which overlies it, form considerable bluffs some dis- 
tance back from the river. As the river bears to the east and finally 
to the southeast near Great Bend, the width of the valley between the 
river and the Cretaceous bluffs greatly increases. For some distance 
below Great Bend to the vicinity of Wichita, and even through the 
remainder of the State, there is but little demarcation of the flood 
plain, the whole area being one great expanse of level country on both 
sides of the river. 

On the south side of the river from Coolidge to Great Bend condi- 
tions differ greatly from those on the north, for a row of sand hills 
limits the valley throughout the entire distance, the elevation of the 



ARKANSAS EIVEE. 271 

sand hills and the plains beyond averaging as great as that of the 
uplands on the north of the river. Thus the sand hills are usually a 
Uttle higher than the plains south of them. The width of the sand 
hills is variable; in places they are not more than 3 or 4 miles wide; 
elsewhere they stretch away southward 15 or 20 miles. Such an 
unusual southern extension of the hills occurs in the southern part of 
Finney and southwestern part of Haskell counties, where the sand 
hills reach almost to Cimarron River. Again, in the eastern part of 
Haskell County, there is another long southward extension, reaching 
from 10 to 12 miles south of the river. Beyond the eastern limit of 
Ford County the sand hills become less prominent, but they are 
nevertheless very noticeable all the way from near Bucklin to almost 
opposite Great Bend, where they gradually disappear. 

From Great Bend to Wichita and thence to Arkansas City the 
v/hole area on the right bank of the river is covered with an exceed- 
ingly sandy silt which here and there is blown into a series of sand 
dunes, approaching in character the sand hills to the west, but not 
equaling them in size. This fine.sand between Wichita and Arkansas 
City appears to have been derived from the weathering of Dakota 
sandstone. 

The Arkansas River valley was formerly much deeper than it now 
is. The filling-in process has been in operation sufficiently long to 
raise the channel of the stream to the level of its flood plain and doubt- 
less Aas raised very appreciably the general level of the flood plain. 
There is ample evidence that at one time the river valley was from 
50 to 100 feet deeper than it now is. Within the last fifteen years 
very noticeable filling-in has occurred. Eight to twelve years ago, 
when the several bridges that cross the river at different places were 
constructed, it was possible for a man sitting erect on horseback to 
ride under most of them, but the sands have since accumulated to 
such a depth that few of the bridges are more than 3 to 6 feet above 
the top of the sands. The accumulation of the sand is not due to the 
presence of the bridge, for the sand under the bridge is at the same 
level as that above and below it. Throughout the greater part of 
the course of the river in western Kansas the recent filling-in process 
has been going on, particularly on the south side of the river. From 
the Kansas-Colorado State line to Arkansas City marks of many 
old channels are seen in the valley, and it is apparent that the stream 
has shifted from bluff to bluff along its channel many times and that 
in doing so it has gradually built up its flood plain. 

One of the most noteworthy features of Arkansas River is the 
great and unusual bend it makes in passing from eastern Ford County 
far to the north to Great Bend and back again far to the south. 
This is probably accounted for by the fact that at the eastern edge 
of Ford County the river encountered the easily-eroded Dakota 



272 QUAMTY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

sandstone and attacked it with great vigor, following it as far north 
as Great Bend, where the Flint Hills compelled the river to turn 
southward. It is likely that before it reached the Dakota sandstone 
at the eastern edge of Ford County, the river passed eastward from 
Ford County across the north of Kiowa, Pratt, and Kingman coun- 
ties and out of the State not far from the point where it now does. 
To-day, in summer, Arkansas River through much of its course in 
the western part of the State dwindles to an insignificant stream or 
disappears entirely in the gravels which have accumulated in its 
bed, in which an abundant supply of water is at all times to be found .^ 
The water in the bed of the Arkansas in Kansas was believed by the 
pioneers to come from Colorado, but this theory has been abandoned, 
one of the principal reasons being that the bedrock of the river comes 
near the surface at the Colorado-Kansas State line and precludes 
Colorado as a source of underground water. The underflow has its 
origin in the rainfall on the sand hills south of the river and on the 
bottom lands and bluffs north of the river. Careful investigations 
of the underflow in Arkansas Valley in western Kansas were con- 
ducted by Charles S. Slichter in the surnmer of 1904.^ The principal 
conclusions reached by Slichter were: 

1. The underflow of Arkansas River moves at an average rate of 8 feet in 24 hours in 
the general direction of the valley. 

2. The water plane slopes to the east at a rate of 7.5 feet per mile, and toward the 
river at a rate of 2 to 3 feet per mile. 

3. The moving ground water extends for several miles north from the river valley. 
No north or south limit was found. 

4. The rate of movement was very uniform. 

5. The sand hills constitute an essential part of the catchment area. 

6. The influence of the floods upon the ground- water level does not extend one-half 
mile north or south of the channel. 

7. A heavy rain contributes more to the underflow than is contributed by a flood 
in the river. 

8. On the sandy bottom lands 60 per cent of an ordinary rain reaches the water 
plane as a permanent contribution. 

9. No indication of a decrease in the underflow has been noted in the last five years. 
The city wells showed the same specific capacity in 1904 that it has in 1899 . 

The maximum velocity of the underflow detected during this inves- 
tigation was 22.9 feet at Sherlock at a depth of 28 feet. 

A noticeable feature of Arkansas River between Lakin and the 
eastern edge of Ford County is that it receives not a single tributary. 
The sand hills absorb all of the rainfall and deliver 60 per cent of it 
to the underflow, the rest disappearing as evaporation. Were the 
sands along the river finer and more compact it is quite probable that 

1 The foregoing description of Arkansas River is largely abstracted from Water-Supply Paper U. S. 
Geol. Survey No. 173, 1906, pp. 19-20, and from Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 2, pp. 17, 24r-31. 

2 V/ater-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 153, 1906. 



ARKANSAS EIVER. 



273 



the river would receive tributaries at frequent intervals in its course 
from Lakin to Dodge. 

Named in order downstream, the principal tributaries of Arkansas 
River that have all or a part of their basins in Kansas are: 

Bear Creek. 

White Woman Creek. 

Pawnee Creek. 

Walnut Creek. 

Rattlesnake Creek. 

Cow Creek. 

Little Arkansas River. 

Ninnescah River. 

The discharge of the Arkansas at Coolidge, Syracuse, Dodge, 
Hutchinson, and Arkansas City is shown in Tables 140-144, inclusive. 

Table 140. — Mean monthly discharge of Arkansas River at Coolidge, Kans.,for period 

May 7 to October 31, 1903. 

[Drainage area, 24,600 square miles.] 



Slate Creek. 

Walnut River. 

Grouse Creek. 

Salt Fork of Arkansas River. 

Cimarron River. 

Verdigris River. 

Neosho River. 



Month. 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. Minimum. Mean 



May 

June 

July 

August ^ 

September 

October 

The period 



319 

28,720 

1,320 

1,470 

2 

21 



28,720 



57 

6,608 

211 

122 

Trace. 

4 



Table 141. — Mean monthly discharge of Arkansas River at Syracuse, Kans., for years 
1903 and 1905, respectively, omitting December, 1905. 

[Drainage area, 25,000 square miles.] 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. Minimum. Mean 



January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 

77836°— wsp 273—11 18 



500 

1,660 

1,545 

24,800 

16, 300 

28, 300 

4,900 

14, 500 

1,480 

130 

295 

28 



28,300 



3 


124 


95 


551 


40 


375 


10 


1,930 


20 


2,210 


20 


4,340 


28 


515 


20 


972 


8 


206 


8 


39.1 


8 


83.5 


S 


17.0 



947 



274 



QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 



Table 142. — Mean monthly discharge of Arkansas River, at Dodge, Kans., for period 
January 1 to December 31, 1904, March 1 to October 31, 1905. 



Month. 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. 



Minimum. 



January 

February 

March 

April 

May , 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 



28 

40 

1,335 

16, 300 

14, 430 

8,775 

1,070 

3,948 

550 

14,800 

395 

450 



16, 300 



8 


12.1 


14 


29.4 


4 


230 


3 


1,560 


4 


3,170 


70 


2,870 


2 


178 


2 


572 


2 


60 


1 


998 


270 


320 


270 


393 



866 



Table 143. — Mean monthly discharge of Arkansas River, at Hutchinson, Kans., for period 

May, 1895, to October, 1905. 

[Drainage area, 34,000 square miles.] 



Month. 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. Minimum. Mean 



January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October ..." 

November 

December 

The period 



2,420 

2,384 

9,670 

10, 035 

11,645 

19, 600 

8,040 

1,203 

7,730 

630 

645 



19, 600 



40 


265 


73 


382 


51 


409 


38 


672 


32 


1,300 


25 


2,030 


4 


1,030 





692 


4 


173 





268 


11 


134 


32 


145 



Table 144. — Mean monthly discharge of Arkansas River, at Arkansas City, Kans., for 
period October, 1902, to July, 1906, except January, February, November, andDecember, 
1905; January to April, 1906. 



Month. 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. 



Minimum. 



Mean. 



January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 



445 

1,140 

3,120 

3,270 

11,300 

24, 100 

40,300 

6,160 

4,720 

5,540 

4,560 

860 



40. 300 



37 


248 


70 


367 


272 


1,190 


238 


923 


285 


2,650 


90 


4,590 


180 


3,800 


75 


1,360 


75 


800 


70 


654 


125 


762 


33 


401 



AEKANSAS EIVER, 275 

QUALITY OF WATER. 
TESTS OF ARKANSAS RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES IN COLORADO. 

The water of Arkansas River at Canon City, Colo., is shown by 
assays 1 and 2, Table 145, to have moderate temporary hardness 
and to carry high sulphates. In these two assays the bicarbonates 
exceed the sulphates. 

The water at Pueblo is shown by assay 3, Table* 145, and analyses 
1 and 2, Table 146, to have low temporary and marked permanent 
hardness. 

The water of Purgatory River at Trinidad, Colo., is shown by 
assays 4 to 14, Table 145, to be high in sulphates, low in chlorides, 
and to have moderate temporary hardness. 

At Ordway, Colo, (analysis 3, Table 146), Arkansas River carries 
water of high permanent hardness. The water here would be laxa- 
tive because the magnesium and sodium are high and the sulphates 
predominate in marked degree over the carbonates. 

MAIN RIVER IN KANSAS. 

The United States Geological Survey maintamed three daily sam- 
pling stations on Arkansas River in Kansas, and a number of tests 
of the quality of the water on the main stream and its tributaries at 
points to the east of the Colorado-Kansas State hne were made. The 
changes in the character of the water, shown by the many analyses 
and assays, are most interesting. At Deerfield samples were collected 
and forwarded by the United States Reclamation Service from 
November 19, 1906, to November 16, 1907; at Great Bend samples 
were collected by M. L. Roseborough and S. M. Smith from Novem- 
ber 26, 1906, to December, 1907; at Arkansas City samples were 
collected by A. L. Newman from December 7, 1906, to December 
10, 1907. 

A record of analyses of composite samples of water of Arkansas 
River at Deerfield is presented in Table 147. These samples cover a 
period of one year, but the record is incomplete. A glance at this 
table discloses two salient facts; first, that the water of the river at 
Deerfield is highly mineralized; second, that except in the analysis 
of sample February 10 to 19, the sulphates are much higher than the 
bicarbonates. It appears, further, that the river carries a variable 
quantity of chlorides, for in some of the analyses the chlorides are 39 
parts per million and in others they rise to more than 100 parts. The 
water should be classed as sodic calcic saline. 

The table shows also that the water of the river at Deerfield is 
laxative, for it contains high magnesium, sodium, and sulphates. 
The water is of moderate temporary hardness. 



276 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

A very incomplete record of the turbidities of the daily samples 
collected at Deerfield is given in Table 148. The turbidity of the 
river varies enormously. On May 16 and 17, 1907, it was 3; on 
June 12, 1907, it was 24,000. Such readings are merely numerical 
statements of well-known facts, for although much of the time the 
river consists of mere threads of water trickling across its sandy bed, 
when the floods carry off the snows melting at its headwaters it be- 
comes a swirling, muddy torrent. The coefficient of fineness, Table 
147, is high most of the time, indicating that the matter in suspen- 
sion is coarse; and the rapidity with which the river drops from very 
high to low turbidities points to the same conclusion. For some 
periods, however, as August 13-24, 1907, and November 19-Decem- 
ber 2, 1907, the coefficient of fineness is low. 

Tests of the water of Arkansas River at Dodge (assay 15, 
Table 145, and analysis 4, Table 146) show that here, as at Deerfield, 
the sulphates predominate over the bicarbonates and carbonates. 
The water is laxative, and has high permanent and moderate tem- 
porary hardness. 

The analyses of composite samples collected at Great Bend are 
recorded in Table 149. The analyses cover a period of one year. 

The water of Arkansas River at Great Bend is heavily minerahzed, 
though somewhat less than it is at Deerfield. In fact, all of the 
mineral constituents except the chlorides are lower. Sulphates are 
present in large quantities and predominate over the bicarbonates, 
and therefore, as the magnesium and sodium are high, the water is 
laxative. The temporary hardness is not marked and the perma- 
nent hardness is great. The chlorides are somewhat high for a river 
water, averaging 27 parts per million more than at Deerfield. The 
increase in chlorides is usually caused by the flowing salt well near 
the mouth of Pawnee Creek at Larned. The water of the river is 
unsuitable for industrial use, but satisfactory for irrigation. 

The daily turbidity, as indicated by the samples at Great Bend, 
Table 150, is subject to great fluctuations. For long periods it is 
less than 100 and during November, 1907, never rose above 50. In 
June, July, and August the river was very turbid indeed. The great- 
est turbidity, 86,400, was noted on July 31, 1907, and the lowest, 3, 
on February 8 and April 25, 1907. The observed turbidities accord 
with the known character of the stream. 

Tests of Arkansas River water at Alden are recorded in assays 21 
and 25, Table 145. Assay 21 shows the result of a test of the river 
water above the mouth of Rattlesnake Creek, and assay 22 of the river 
below it. On the same day a sample was collected from Rattlesnake 
Creek near its mouth, but, unfortunately, the sample was lost. At 
the West Alden Bridge the chief contribution of salt that Arkansas 
River has received in its course from Colorado is supplied by the 



ARKANSAS EIVER. 277 

flowing salt well at Larned, and the chlorides in the water at the 
bridge at the tmie the test was made were only 107. Between the 
West Alden Bridge and Alden Bridge Rattlesnake Creek enters, 
bearing water that is contaminated by salt from the Big Salt Marsh 
and the Little Salt Marsh of Stafford County, and at Alden Bridge 
the salt content of the river had increased to 1,056 parts per million. 
Through the courtesy of Dr. Marion Trueheart observations at Alden 
were repeated on November 8, 1908, with the result shown in assays 
22, 24, and 26, Table 145. The streams were at higher stage than 
.when the 1907 samples were collected; but the chlorides at the West 
Alden Bridge were only 80 parts per million. Near its mouth Rat- 
tlesnake Creek carried 933 parts per million, and the river at Alden 
Bridge contained 169 parts per million. Thus the influence of Rat- 
tlesnake Creek on the river is very marked. A test of Rattlesnake 
Creek at St. John, above the salt marshes, is recorded in assay 23, 
Table 145. Here the water of the creek is soft and is low in chlorides. 
The effect of the water of Rattlesnake Creek on the water of Arkansas 
River at Sterling (analysis 9, Table 146), is manifest in the high 
chlorides. 

A test of the water of Arkansas River at Wichita, recorded in analy- 
sis 13, Table 146, indicates that at the time the sample was taken 
the water of the river at Wichita was very much less highly miner- 
alized than was the water of the river at Great Bend (Table 149) at 
any time during the period of the collection of samples there. 

A record of the analyses of composite samples of Arkansas River 
water at Arkansas City, taken from the Land & Power Co.'s canal 
at Arkansas City, appears in Table 151. The head of this canal is 
above the mouth of Walnut River and also above a low dam, which 
diverts water of the Arkansas — sometimes practically all of it — down 
the canal into Walnut River 3 miles above its mouth. Samples were 
collected from the canal because the water it carried was believed to 
be representative of that in the river and because it was possible, 
through the courtesy of the Land & Power Co., to obtain a collector 
on the canal. The collection of the daily samples was somewhat 
interrupted, but covers a period of one year. 

The table shows that the water of Arkansas River at Arkansas City 
is very different from that at either Great Bend or Deerfield. It is 
still heavily mineralized, though the total dissolved solids run lower 
than in the composite samples at Great Bend (Table 149), which 
average less than those of the composite samples at Deerfield (Table 
147). 

The sulphates in the samples at Deerfield and Great Bend are 
higher than the bicarbonates ; but at Arkansas City, if these con- 
stituents be considered in terms of their chemical equivalents, it will 
be found that the bicarbonates predominated over the sulphates in 



278 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



the analyses from January 12 to February 7, from January 18 to 
July 27, and from September 16 to November 14, while the sulphates 
were in excess of the bicarbonates in the analyses of December 7 to 
January 8, February 8 to 17, December 1 to 10, and in the analyses 
made in the period from July 28 to September 15. 

It should be noted that at Deerfield the sulphates are very high, 
at Great Bend they are much lower, and at Arkansas City they are 
lower still. But perhaps the most marked change in the water of 
the river is the variation in the chlorides and sodium as the stream 
progresses through the State, and in the changed ratio of the sodium 
to the chlorine at Deerfield, Great Bend, and Arkansas City. At 
Deerfield the sodium is high and the chlorides low, the ratio of sodium 
to chlorine being about 3 to 1; at Great Bend the sodium is less, and 
the chlorides more than at Deerfield, so that the ratio of sodium to 
chlorine is about 1.7 to 1. The reduction in the sodium is probably 
accomplished by waters relatively low in sodium that join the river 
between the two cities, while the increase in chlorides is brought 
about by the flowing salt well at Larned. At Arkansas City the river 
water is much higher in sodium that at Great Bend and somewhat 
higher than at Deerfield. The chlorides at Arkansas City are much 
higher than at either of the two other places, and the ratio of sodium 
to chlorine is 1 to 1.2. The increase in sodium and chlorides is 
accomplished by drainage from salt marshes on Rattlesnake Creek 
and by contamination resulting from the operations in the large salt 
works at Hutchinson. 

The daily turbidity record of Arkansas River at Arkansas City 
(Table 152) is very much broken. The highest reading, 4,124, was 
recorded on August 20, and the lowest, 8, on April 20, 1907. 

Table 145. — Assays of water of Arkansas River and its tributaries in Colorado and Kansas 

west of R. 7 E. 

[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


Stream and place. 


Iron 
(Fe). 


Car- 
bonate 
(COs). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCOs). 


Sul- 
phate 
(SOO. 


Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 


Remarks. 


1 
9 


1904. 
Aug. 3 

Sept. 3 
Sept. 2 

1905. 
Oct. 3 

Oct. 5 

Oct. 6 

Oct. 7 


Arkansas River at Canon 

City, Colo. 
do 


0.5 


...: 


110 

98 
101 

273 

207 

308 

246 


66 

84 
168 

116 

124 

90 

103 


18 

10 
10 

6 
11 
14 

9 


By R. 1. Meeker. 
Do. 


S 


Arkansas River at Pu- 
eblo, Colo. 

Purgatory River at Trin- 
idad, Colo. 

... .do 






Do. 


4 

1 


.0 
1.0 
Tr. 
1.0 


0.0 

13.0 

.0 

.0 


Turbidity 300, by R. I. 

Meeker and W. A. 

Lamb. 
Turbidity 1,111, by R. 


r. 


.. ..do 


I. Meeker and W. A. 
Lamb 
Turbidity 285, by R.I. 


7 


do„. ....... ........ 


Meeker and W. A. 
Lamb 
Turbidity 650, by R. I. 
Meeker and W. A. 
Lamb. 



ARKANSAS EIVBR. 



279 



Table 145. — Assays of water of Arkansas River and its tributaries in Colorado and Kansas 
ivest of R. 7 E. — Continued. 









Iron 
(Fe). 


Car- 


Bicar- 


Sul- 


Chlo- 




No. 


Date. 


Stream and place. 


bonate 


bonate 


phate 


rine 


Remarks. 








(CO3). 


{HCO3) 


(SO4). 


(CI) 




_„ 


1905. 
















8 


Oct. 8 


Purgatory River at Trini- 
dad, Colo. 


Tr. 


0.0 


234 


96 


9 


Turbidity 480, by R. L 
Meeker and W. A. 
Lamb. 


9 


Oct. 9 


do 


Tr. 


.0 


210 


104 


9 


Turbidity 750, by R. I. 
Meeker and W. A. 


































Lamb. 


10 


Oct, 10 


do 


Tr. 


.0 


272 


98 


It 


Turbidity 650, by R.L 
Meeker and W. A. 


































Lamb. 


11 


Oct. 11 


do 


.0 


.0 


260 


101 


9 


Turbidity 800, by R. I. 
Meeker and W. A. 
Lamb. 


12 


Oct. 12 


do 


Tr. 


.0 


260 


77 


9 


Turbidity950, by R.I. 
Meeker and W, A. 


































Lamb. 


13 


Oct. 13 


do 


Tr. 


.0 


246 


96 


9 


Turbidity 1,500, by R. 
I. Meeker and W. A. 


































Lamb. 


14 


Oct. 14 


do 


Tr. 


.0 


246 


97 


9 


Turbidity 900, by R. I. 
Meeker and W. A. 


































Lamb. 




1907. 
















15 


Nov. 20 


Arkansas River at Dodge, 


.0 


.0 


254 


492 


52 




16 


Dec. 6 


Buckner Creek at Jetmore. 


Tr. 


.0 


236 


62 


24 




17 


Dec. 2 


Pawnee Creek above 
Ideal Steam Landing, 
Lamed. 


.0 


11.0 


279 


62 


36 


Above Frizell's flowing 
salt well. 


18 


...do..... 


Pawnee Creek at Main 

Street, Larned. 
Sunset Lake, Ness 


.0 


11.0 


275 


61 


72 


Below Frizell's flowing 
salt well. 


19 


Dec. 10 


.0 


.0 


258 


88 


20 


A widening of North 


















Branch of Walnut 


















Creek. 


20 


Dec. 8 


Walnut Creek on Park 
Street and north of 
Atchison, Topeka & 
Santa Fe Ry., Great 
Bend. 


Tr. 


.0 


329 


115 


90 




21 


Dec. 28 
1908. 


Arkansas River at west 
bridge, Alden. 


.0 


12.0 


207 


383 


170 


Above Salt Creek, col- 
lected by Dr. Marion 
Trueheart. 


22 


Nov. 8 
1907. 


do 


.0 


.0 


246 


626 


80 


Do. 








23 


Dec. 3 
1908. 


Rattlesnake Creek IJ 
miles west of St. John. 


.0 


12.0 


197 


aTr. 


26 




24 


Nov, 8 
1907. 


Rattlesnake Creek 1 mile 
above mouth at Alden. 


Tr. 


12.0 


262 


139 


933 


Collected by Dr. Maf- 
ion Trueheart. 


25 


Dec. 28 


Arkansas River at bridge, 
Alden. 


.0 


12.0 


269 


157 


1.056 


Below Salt Creek. 




1908. 














26 


Nov. 8 
1906. 


do 


.0 


.0 


242 


626 


169 


Below Salt Creek, col- 
lected by Dr. Marion 
Trueheart. 


27 


Nov, 18 


Cow Creek at first bridge 
west of Main Street, 
Hutchinson. 


.0 


Tr. 


147 


88 


121 




28 


Nov. 16 


West Emma Creek west 
of Newton. 


.0 


12.0 


260 


oTr. 


14 




29 


...do..... 


East Emma Creek west 
of Newton. 


.0 


.0 


328 


Tr. 


14 




30 


...do 


Sand Creek, Newton 


.0 


.0 


334 


344 


30 




31 


...do 

1907. 


Little Arkansas River at 
Halstead. 


.0 


Tr. 


307 


aTr. 






32 


Jan. 19 


Little Arkansas River at 
Murdock Ave., Wichita. 


.0 


.0 


113 


40 


25 


In high stage. 


33 


...do.... 


Chisholm Creek at Doug- 
lass Street, Wichita. 


.0 


.0 


65 


146 


15 


In flood. 


34 


Nov. 7 


South Fork Ninnescah 
River at Main Street, 
Pratt. 


Tr. 


.0 


174 


a Tr. 


30 




35 


Dec. 31 


Ninnescah River at Main 
Street Bridge, King- 
man. 


.0 


12.0 


200 


oTr. 


289 





a Less than 35 parts per million. 



280 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Table 145. — Assays of water of Arkansas River and its tributaries in Colorado and Kansas 
west of R. 7 E. — Continued. 









Iron 

(Fe). 


Car- 


Bicar- 


Sul 


Ohio 




No. 


Date. 


Stream and place. 


bonate 


bonate 


phate 


rine 


Remarks 








(CO3). 


(ILCO3) 


(SO.1) 


(CI) 






1907. 














36 


May 16 


Ninnescah River at Atch- 
ison, Topeka & Santa 
Fe Ry. bridge, Belle 
Plaine. 


.0 


6.0 


230 


61 


171 




37 


Jan. 15 


Slate Creek 1 mile west 
and 3J miles nortli of 
Geuda' Springs. 


.0 


Tr. 


323 


406 


265 




38 


May 12 


East Brancli Walnut 
River at Eldorado. 


.0 


.0 


232 


oTr. 


10 




39 


...do 


West Branch Walnut 
River at Eldorado. 


.0 


.0 


216 


aTr. 


10 




40 


May 13 


Whitewater River 500 
vards above mouth of 
West Branch of White- 
water River at- To- 
wanda. 


.0 


.0 


254 


173 


20 




41 


...do 


West Whitewater River 
at Towanda. 


.0 


.0 


328 


626 


24 




42 


May 11 


Whitewater River at 
Atchison, Topeka & 
Santa Fe Ry. bridge, 
Augusta. 


.0 


.0 


227 


222 


14 




43 


...do 


Walnut River at Augusta 


.0 


.0 


219 


aTr 


14 




44 


Jan. 17 


Dutch Creek at Winfield. 


Tr. 


.0 


122 


aTr. 


15 


In flood. Local name, 
Timber Creek. 


45 


Jan. 12 


Silver Creek 9 miles east 
of Arkansas City. 


.0 


.0 


345 


oTr. 


10 




46 


...do 

1908. 


Grouse Creek 7 miles east 
of Arkansas City. 

Salt Fork of A rhansas 
River. 


.0 


.0 


288 


aTr. 


10 




47 


Jan. 4 


Big Mule Creek at Wil- 
more. 


Tr. 


.0 


226 


aTr. 


IS 




48 


...do 


Medicine Lodge River 
above Elm Creek at 
Medicine Lodge. 


Tr. 


12.0 


218 


382 


67 




49 


...do 


Elm Creek above Medi- 
cine Lodge River at 
Medicine Lodge. 


Tr. 


12.0 


220 


aTr. 


26 




50 


Jan. 7 


Fall Creek at Mahi Street 
Bridge, Caldwell. 


.0 


12.0 


352 


146 


C7 




51 


...do 


Bluff Creek at water- 
works, Caldwell. 

Tributaries of Cimarron 
River. 


Tr. 


12.0 


288 


168 


72 




52 


Jan. 2 


Bear Creek east of Ash- 
land. 


.0 


.0 


142 


327 


30 




53 


Jan. 3 


Bluu' Creek west of Pro- 
tec. ian. 


.0 


12.0 


245 


229 


30 




54 


...do 


Kiowa Creek east of Pro- 
tection. 


.0 


12.0 


200 


oTr. 


15 


A branch of Cavalry 
Creek. 


55 


...do 


Cavalry Creek east of Pro- 
tection. 


.0 


.0 


231 


aTr. 


15 





a Less thaji 35 parts per million. 



AEKANSAS RIVEE. 



281 



•spiios IB^OX 



t^co »o 



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O 






•OOM 

■ cocot^ 






CO 00 


- '. 




l:^ 






;s :S^ 






2 





) CO CO »0 -^ CO 



•oiu'gSjo 



,-H t~- 'f CT> 



'^ Oi <Xi ^ oi c<\ 

lO OOCO I>cO CO 



•do) 

8 n 1 .1 o 1 q 



T-HC<I»0 Tt^t^ CD"*OC<10COT-H^cOcO(NO^CO^IMTtlr--OC^tOCD»i303»OOOt-HCO<NlOO 



CNi-lT-t rt* tH CO CA Oi cm ^ (M CO C^ O O t^ CO IM t-l lO CD rH T-H 



(N .-HrHrHi-Irt 



•(^os) 



rHOOi oo aicOl-^T-^oO'^loOT-^coolCQC<^'*lOl>.(^^!©cs^(^^<:OiOlOcDOiOoo■^oo^- 

OO-^ iOtH CO CO O 00 00 tH C^ CD Tt^ lO lO -etf O (M i— I O (N r-l CO I> O CO CD CO CT) lO i— I CO 



(N CO CS 



OQ0<N T-H 



•(^OOH) 



1 : : 1 1 1 ! looo ^ i ' 


I ! ! lo i ! 1 i 1 i i ^ ! i ; i i 1 ! ! ! '. i 











o-(200) 
9 :j 'B n oqi^o 



(NOOVO OOr 



C<I.-l(M'X>C--CT'C^CO-< 



>i-I^CD^(M OOCOCO •" 



05 "^ 02 00"^ Cq CO t-^ (M O r-H CO rH CO O (M ,— ( O 03 00 »0 CD C^ CO 03 a: QO CO T-H cq O CO 
(Mi-1 1-H CSt-H !-( T-< C^ .-H .-I CS T-H 



•(3+15N) 
umiss'Eq.od 
ppB pmipog 



t^ >0 (N OOCO 



^ (M CO t^ T-t C^COOSCWCO 



JCOt^Td^OlOt^OOOt^OOlT-HCOOOOOCJiOiOCOOiCOCMOsajcDt^ 



l-^THCncDt^OXMOJlO- 



(M CO CO (M T-i r-H 



■(Sh) 

iiinis9u§Bi^[ 



.—100'^ tMOO f-aiOiOcOi— iLOtNt^iOt-COOOOSiOCOCOOOiOOCD.O 



<N CO CO 1-1 



CStH THrHCCCOi-l OCCOCq C^i-i'CN -rHi-HtMi-lT-l,-) 



•(130) 

tn n 10 IB 



K(M0O O^ CO^OO- 



.OOOOCO(NCJ3COCOl--(MCOO^iOOOOO^^OOO-^»OC3i-^(N 

HOcDOt^c^c^^'OiOT-(00'^cot^co(Mr:^cDcqc35i^-co»oco 

^ T-H ^CStM ,-H rt 



•(3^) noji 



^ C~ t^lN 



"(^ois) ^oms 



oocOT-HOcocno 
cqcoc<iT-HT-H(MT-HC<i 



■*INU3 00-!f O 
tHH T-H T-H T-H i-H cq 



tfl 



«^cS 
EhPh § 

o H a 



<a^ 



o 



rt :rt 



a-Ti OSS ft^ ft 

O 0)^ o o> o 

- .«'-'8'C ogo - 



P! ft 
o o 



Ph ?3 



H ft 
o o 



la 

o o 



o o o bf o.g o ■ 



o o o o o o o 



: ■'-'pOmpHo 'i^p : ; '-y ■« 'mp • • ■ • ■ • 



ft;<<w§<iM<^ 



§-< 



S<1 



I 



•h O 

20 



03 r^m 

.9 F''^ 



g p 53 
fto OJ^ 

^-tH> P 

gf go 



■g S 



9og 

^3 c3 
1 or 



500 



~ o 

1. 9 

05 .cj 
.53 3 

.E;M 



o.a^'Sui-s 



p'p'S 3 






C3 O 
'd— c3 



JH P 

PhW 

+^ 4^ 

C3 03 

tH fH 



^^^; 



03 M 

^.9 

tl 

^^ 

p p 
p p 

00 , 

-^ p PT3 
MM 



O p 

P cS 

Op; 

2"S 



O c3 

•si 



■3.9"^ 



S 'SSS 



o3;dH PI 

PX2 03 g 

tf § p^ 



O 3 O 3 3 
'03 ! c3 c3 



.o\ 



3 o O O O C , , 
Ht3'rtXt'3 03-^ 



5o 



-i^ S o9 



co^ 



0000 Oicq t^ooi— I 
01 05 as o o o o 
00 00 00 01 Oi a: CT) 



1-H.-I (NCO 



'*O00"5 00 



t> f^ pQ-iJ d b ^ 
00 (D o CJ ra CO 



IM-*IMI^00^Cq(M(MIM00O<N (MffiO^COCOCOCJ 



oooroooooooooo 

O3O»Cn00O3O3OlOjO3O3O3O^Ci 



ClT-H^C-TOl'^OiOt^--^ lOt> 
T-H T-HCd (M(M(N(Ni-H 

2;<;oH;>5s^o;SoKfe^ 



OC33000COO 
OiOOO^cr^O^OiC^C^ 



ocor^cDOC<j»oi^ 
CO T-H T-H T-H t-H cq 

g^-S ftfto;^ g<o 



— IC^CO TfllO CD l>. 00 Ca O T-H cq CO -* 10 CD C~ 00 OCi O T-H 09 CO ^ 10 CO !>. 00 03 O ^ CJ CO ■* lO 
T-lrHrHTHT-HT-HrHtHT-HT-HCqiMCJCqNIMC^CJCqNCOCOCOCOCOCO 



282 



QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 





§ 


O 






^ 


•spnos ib;ox 


CO 


CO 






lO 


"oiubSjo 














Y>nis '9ii:^'Ei0A 


CO 


(M 










•do) 

auijoiqo 


^ lO 00 <M Tj< rji O 
CO 1—1 CO (TO C^ "n^ C- 


■(^os) 


O i-( O t^ IC CO ^H 


a^Bqdins 


t^ IC ^ lO Ol 00 CO 


•(^ooh) 




e^BnoqjBoig; 




•(^00) 




^:^'BaoqIeo 


00 iM o (N 00 oq 1^ 
t- 1- 03 o a> ":) o 




I-H T-H T-t 


•(2+T3N) 




xnntssB^od 


O O Cq -^ lO r-H CD 


puBumipog 


(M i-H '^ Tt< CO <0 t^ 


•(2h) 


05 


ninisanS'BH 


CO -rf t>^ CO 00 lO ^ 
.-Ir-I ,-1,-lCqCO 


•(^0) 


i^ .-1 CO »o 00 i-H a> 


lo Tj< lo lo "O r~ t^ 


nin 10 I'BQ 














-*"* 


•(a^) uoji 










^c^2 


•(5ois)^3ms 




(M 


00C<>i-l 














■ >> 






>> 








tf 






0) 














(i( 








'o 






C3 








c3 






i 








=3 




-S 


M 








-d 




>. 


=« 








g 














o3 




"3 


• c8 












a 


ri^ 








M 




<i 


ft 

O 

a 
o 








a 
o 






w o O O O tuD O 1 




rt-dTSTJ-d g^s 




o 














-IJ 








Xi 






<1 








o 




o 


















ca 




































ft 






.s 










-O 






'3 










OS 






a 


a 






6 






■< 


o 






ca 














m 






03 


a 






03 








< 








o 


> 










CO 


s 


a 
M 








Ph 


03 


$ 








.^^ 


'm 


£ 














o ;3 I'S 








Ph jo :« 








tH (N i-< <M C^ CCl 00 




ooooooo 






-S 


«c5(Mt-li-(n 


ca 


Q 


C3 o " Ci CJ Q^ S7 




Soi^oofiM 


6 


CD t-^ 00 Oi O 1-1 (N 


^ 


C 


C 


5 0- 


sa 


»■<< 


^ Tj 


-^ 


1 



ARKANSAS RIVER. 



283 



Table 147. — Analyses of water from Arkansas River near Deerfleld, Kans. 

[Drainage area, 25,860 (estimated) square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in the 
chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. EL S. Bailey, director.] 



Date. 








s 










§ . 






















d 


« 










1% 

03 A 


O 


03 


-^ 

















s 


o . 


g 




"5" 
o 




a 


u 


d 


d 





.f9 oa 










■S 


.2 S 


cc 


"3" 








03 


^<—\ 


-f^ 




<D 


"o 


From— 


To- 




3 


el 
ft 


'3 

o 

o 


03 
o 

m 


a 

o 

t— ( 


2 

03 
O 


I 
o3 


ll 

o ■" 


o 

a 




03 
ft 

m 




.a 





—1 ra 



1906. 


1906 






























Dec. n 


Dec. 


20 


730 


968 


1.33 


16 


1.2 


239 


86 


280 


0.0 


283 


1,171 


2.2 


104 


2,167 


Dec. 21 


Dec. 


31 


1,900 


2,102 


1.11 


19 


1.0 


223 


76 


250 


.0 


296 


781 


4.0 


83 


1,911 


1907. 


1907. 






























Jan. 2 


Jan. 


13 


1,020 


913 


.90 


26 


1.2^ 


229 


70 


289 


.0 


144 


1,201 


4.0 


84 


2,109 


Jan. 14 


Jan. 


24 


1,460 


1,354 


.93 


42 


1.0 


233 


74 


301 


.0 


280 


1,174 


3.5 


94 


2,144 


Jan. 25 


Feb. 


7 


422 


428 


1.01 


45 


1.2 


217 


79 


282 


.0 


215 


1,127 


2.0 


85 


2,0,31 


Feb. 10 


Feb. 


19 


3,360 


2,688 


.80 


56 


.10 


97 


12 


29 


.0 


288 


65 


4.9 


76 


410 


Feb. 24 


Mar. 


7 


607 


526 


.87 


68 


.30 


256 


88 


298 


.0 


263 


1, 163 


1.2 


95 


2,179 


Mar. 8 


Mar. 


18 


20 


33 


1.65 


25 


.80 


217 


67 


243 


.0 


242 


992 


.5 


75 


1,808 


Mar. 19 


Mar. 


28 


21 


32 


1.52 


22 


1.6 


194 


73 


246 


.0 


236 


953 


1.2 


82 


1,764 


Mar. 29 


Apr. 


9 


14 


21 


1.50 


25 


3.0 


180 


62 


222 


O7.0 


241 


855 


3.5 


75 


1,640 


Apr. 10 


Apr. 

May 


25 


12 


29 


2.42 


20 


1.4 


156 


71 


198 


.0 


245 


818 


3.5 


78 


1,580 


Apr. 26 


5 


14 


31 


2.21 


22 


1.0 


187 


70 


229 


.0 


245 


876 


2.8 


82 


1,647 


May 6 


May 


15 


13 


28 


2.15 


26 


1.0 


191 


64 


242 


.0 


247 


900 


1.9 


76 


1,666 


May 16 


May- 


25 


117 


101 


.86 


26 


1.5 


182 


42 


228 


.0 


220 


854 


2.8 


76 


1,583 


May 26 


June 


5 


3,247 


2,380 


.73 


24 


1.2 


147 


74 


224 


.0 


232 


841 


5.5 


76 


1,612 


June 6 


June 


15 


21,240 


16,570 


.78 


27 


5 


185 


51 


178 


.0 


258 


746 


10 


53 


1,421 


June 16 


June 


25 


320 


207 


.65 


26 


3.5 


179 


76 


219 


.0 


222 


842 


.3 


73 


1,572 


June 27 


July 


11 


6,000 


6,100 


1.00 


34 


4 


136 


49 


153 


.0 


203 


565 


5 


48 


1,116 


July 12 


July 


21 


4,425 


3,270 


.74 


28 


10 


141 


51 


151 


.0 


178 


541 


3.5 


46 


1,114 


July 22 


Aug. 


1 


26,200 


18,477 


.71 


27 


3.5 


157 


51 


146 


.0 


210 


568 


5.5 


42 


1,132 


Aug. 2 


Aug. 


12 


15,620 


9,702 


.62 


32 


5 


167 


47 


144 


.0 


190 


600 


6.5 


39 


1,156 


Aug. 13 


Aug. 


24 


296 


158 


.63 


23 


.8 


178 


62 


194 


.0 


220 


759 


1.2 


62 


1,402 


Aug. 25 


Oct. 


16 


21 


24 


1.14 


30 


.04 


169 


65 


195 


.0 


200 


751 


.9 


64 


1,371 


Oct. 17 


Nov. 


2 


46 


47 


1.02 


22 


.24 


227 


68 


209 


.0 


210 


756 


.8 


66 


1,418 


Nov. 3 


Nov. 


16 


116 


85 


.73 


16 


.14 


155 


37 


186 


.0 


190 


725 


1.1 


67 


1,346 


Nov. 19 


Dec. 
an 


2 


100 


64 


.64 


19 


.12 


189 


55 


258 


.0 


245 


840 


1.2 


74 
72 


1,552 


Me 


3,359 


2,551 


1.09 


29 


1.9 


186 


62 


215 


, .0 


231 


826 


3.2 


1,571 




of anhy- 




Per cent 


















1 












drous I 


esidue 










1.9 


.2 


12.3 


4.1 


14.2 


7.6 

1 




54.7 


.2 


4.8 

















a Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 

Note.— Analyses from December 11, 1906, to November 16,1907, by F. W. Bushong; from November 19 
to December 2, 1907, by Archie J. Weith. 



284 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

Table 148. — Turbidity of daily samples of Arkansas River at Deerfield, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


Dec, 

1906. 


1907. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1 








1,464 
378 

'"'so' 

30 
32 
32 
10 

"""i-i" 

9 
30 
18 
27 
12 
18 
12 
14 

9 
85 
12 

9 
20 
25 
10 

7 
13 
10 
14 


13 
15 
10 

18 
3 

"'"24" 
14 
18 
18 

""15" 
15 

'"is" 

'"'s' 

""s 
9 
7 
9 
9 

12 
3 
9 
9 
7 


10 
32 
30 
12 
14 
12 
24 
9 

9 

9 

24 

14 

14 

3 

3 

4 

14 

14 

3 

3 

460 

160 

430 

80 

5 

5 

8 

8 

8 

8 


8 
21,000 










10 
15 
16 
10 
18 




2 




465 
360 


412 
120 
95 
200 
966 

o^ooo' 

5,300 
5,830 
4,390 
3,680 
2,400 
1,800 
1,800 
1,300 
1,100 

""666" 
680 
562 
340 
485 










60 


3 















t 




8,415 

3,000 

732 

732 












5 




2,100 



























7 




1,520 

760 

825 

1,000 

1,363 

933 

900 

290 

130 

315 

80 

245 

'i',m 

1,400 
2,200 
5,000 
3,600 
966 

550 
155 
150 
600 










8 
5 




8 














9 
















10 


















11 


1,000 

1,040 

885 

820 

615 

730 

800 

585 

550 

345 

615 

1,000 

1,750 

1,950 

2,060 

2,100 

2,000 

1,770 

2,310 

2,060 

1,670 
















12 


24,000 

20,000 

6,600 

1,932 

1,530 

900 

562 

60 

30 

28 

16 

■ 28 

26 

34 








8 
16 
10 
16 
15 
18 
10 
10 

8 


12 
15 

16 
532 
532 




13 




"s'soo" 

3,060 

1,000 

220 

866 

485 

34 

70 


933 

900 

510 

295 

115 

24 

45 

47 

25 

25 

18 

28 

65 






14 

15 

16 




17 . 




IS 






19 

20 

21 


225 

265 

240 

90 

24 




22 . . . . . . 








23 








24 














36 

45 
45 
32 




26 








27 


12 
12 
13 
40 




24 
20 
8 








28 




270 
90 
12 
16 




29 




30 


50 




























Mean... 


1,269 


1,088 


1,906 


88 


12 


46 


5,173 


1,817 


193 




38 


102 





Note.— Average, June 8 to June 11, 39,606; June 27 to July 11, 6,000; July 12 to 17,5,196; July 26 to 27, 
22,392, August 2 to 12, 15,620. Turbidities over £0 v.-eie determined with a Jackson turbidimeter and 
turbidities of 50 or less were determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings were 
made by Carrie M. Burlingame and Harvey G. Elledge; a few were made by-Helen Heald and Adalbert 
Morrison. 



ARKANSAS RIVER. 



285 



Table 149.— Analyses of loater from Arlcansas River near Great Bend, Kans. 

[Drainage area, 34,600 (estimated) square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in the 
chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 







tJ 


, 










w 




a> 








-o 


Date. 


>> 


a 

xi 


tin 
o . 


O 






"So 
3 


03 . 
OM 


O 
O 


03 

it 


O 
en 


O 
15 


o 


1 

"o 






S2 








-o 


a> a 


ra 


^ 








03 








a> 


_,g 


From — 


To— 


S 


1 


o 

o 

Q 


03 


fe- 
ci 

2 
1— 1 


o 


1 


II 

02 


a 
o 

o 


03 

a, 

3 


1 




03 
O 


1906. 


1906. 






























Nov. 26 


Dec. 5 


210 


166 


0.79 


2.3 


aO.8 


99 


24 


124 


0.0 


208 


377 


2.-8 


52 


793 


Dec. 6 


Dec. 15 


58 


35 


.60 




1.2 


139 


16 


158 


.0 


245 


5.57 


.9 


69 


1,135 


Dec. 16 


Dec. 27 
1907. 


28 


18 


.64 


24'" 


.6 


163 


40 


132 


66.7 


281 


508 


2.7 


98 


1,S30 


Dec. 28 


Jan. 7 


1,330 


957 


.72 


27 


1.2 


177 


49 


173 


.0 


295 


612 


4.6 


90 


1,336 


1907. 
































Jan. 8 


Jan. 20 


494 


357 


.72 


27 


4.0 


173 


45 


174 


3.6 


266 


651 


2.5 


92 


1.355 


Jan . 21 


Jan. 31 


163 


129 


.79 


50 


2.0 


153 


56 


199 


.0 


187 


719 


1.1 


93 


1,385 


Feb. 1 


Feb. 13 


770 


1,050 


1.36 


21 


.40 


157 


42 


157 


.0 


266 


535 


.6 


78 


1,131 


Feb. 14 


Feb. 24 


3,730 


2,323 


.62 


76 


.30 


192 


54 


227 


.0 


264 


859 


2.3 


77 


1,654 


Feb. 25 


Mar. 4 


499 


315 


.63 


83 


.30 


187 


45 


49 


&2.8 


259 


696 


1.6 


85 


1,495 


Mar. 8 


Mar. 17 


340 


220 


.65 


56 


.52 


327 


48 


195 


.0 


243 


652 


.7 


88 


1,304 


Mar. 19 


Mar. 28 


51 


62 


1.22 


18 


.8 


148 


43 


191 


.0 


228 


608 


.2 


104 


1,264 


Mar. 29 


Apr. 8 


19 


26 


1.37 


22 


.9 


148 


34 


191 


.0 


219 


565 


.2 


121 


1,230 


Apr. 9 


Apr. 18 


15 


12 


.80 


18 


3.3 


149 


36 


196 


8.0 


230 


536 


.7 


128 


1,218 


Apr. 19 
May 1 


Apr. 30 


15 


14 


.93 


12 


1.0 


132 


41 


181 


.0 


230 


506 


1.1 


134 


1,179 


May 11 


44 


47 


1.07 


17 


2.5 


162 


7.2 


190 


.0 


225 


624 


.6 


106 


1,265 


May 12 


May 21 


20 


19 


.95 


20 


.6 


155 


33 


191 


.0 


210 


574 


.6 


121 


1,239 


May 22 


June 8 


IS 


11 


.73 


16 


1.2 


147 


41 


186 


.0 


218 


518 


.6 


133 


1,168 


June 10 


June 19 


19,200 


10,283 


.54 


49 


3.2 


164 


50 


211 


.0 


245 


671 


7.0 


125 


1,400 


June 21 


June 30 


2,736 


1,932 


.71 


26 


2 


113 


36 


135 


.0 


178 


407 


3.5 


76 


902 


July 1 


July 10 


9,480 


5,686 


.60 


30 


1.5 


137 


47 


192 


.0 


235 


522 


3.5 


127 


1,169 


July 11 


July 20 


14, 5.30 


4,250 


.29 


31 


4 


96 


32 


117 


.0 


178 


347 


6.0 


49 


756 


July 21 


July 31 


14, 160 . 


11,766 


.83 


26 


3 


117 


46 


152 


.0 


225 


464 


.9 


87 


972 


Aug.- 1 


Aug. 11 


1§, 720 


15,770 


.84 


29 


2.0 


145 


40 


120 


.0 


192 


487 


7.5 


32 


960 


Aug. 12 


Aug. 22 


20,000 


6,177 


.31 


32 


1.8 


147 


41 


138 


.0 


193 


490 


4.5 


40 


968 


Aug. 23 


Sept. 3 


315 


295 


.94 


31 


.20 


142 


46 


158 


65.0 


205 


511 


1.5 


84 


1,079 


Sept. 4 


Sept. 16 


40 


30 


.75 


29 


.05 


135 


44 


171 


.0 


210 


502 


.7 


122 


1,109 


Sept. 17 


Sept. 28 


16 


5.2 


.32 


30 


.08 


124 


44 


171 


.0 


230 


461 


.5 


125 


1,033 


Sept. 30 


Oct. 9 


168 


129 


.77 


12 


.06 


115 


34 


180 


.0 


200 


391 


.5 


108 


913 


Oct. 10 


Oct, 20 


38 


16 


.42 


21 


.12 


135 


44 


179 


.0 


223 


437 


.5 


140 


1,061 


Oct. 21 


Oct. 31 


26 


9 


.35 


20 


.11 


142 


43 


137 


.0 


217 


450 


.6 


130 


1,069 


Nov. 1 


Nov. 10 


22 


1 


.04 


20 


.26 


145 


42 


168 


.0 


238 


476 


.5 


124 


1,107 


Nov. 11 


Nov. 21 


28 


6.0 


.21 


17 


.20 


153 


42 


170 


.0 


255 


474 


.6 


128 


1,120 


Nov. 22 


Dec. 7 


38 


3 


.08 


20 


.11 


105 


43 


195 


.0 


242 


502 


.6 


114 


1,128 


Mean 


3,252 


1,882 


.68 


28 


1.2 


149 


40 


167 


.0 


230 


536 


1.9 


99 


1,158 


Per cent of anhy- 






























drous r( 


'sidue .... 








2.5 


.1 


13.1 


3.5 


14.7 


10.0 




47.2 


.2 


8.7 















a AI=0.34. 



6 Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 



Note.— Analyses from November 26, 1906, to November 21, 1907, by F. W. Bushong; from November 22 
to December 7, 1907, by Archie J. Weith. 



286 



QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 



Table 150. — Turbidity of daily samples of Arkansas River at Great Bend, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


1906. 


* 1907. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1 . 




205 

12 

15 

6 

6 

12 

11 

12 

10 

5 

400 

31 

45 

36 

15 

6 

8 


3,340 

2,700 

170 

270 

400 

443 

SO 

8 

8 

8 

550 

635 

1,732 

1,763 

115 

36 


43 

120 

10 

10 


150 
485 
416 
242 


25 
15 
11 
26 
14 
17 
13 
20 
20 
13 
14 
9 
25 
13 
15 
15 
15 
12 
16 
15 
18 
19 

■"■3" 

9 
10 
10 
16 
28 


35 
9 
40 

"42' 
38 
55 
55 
52 
55 
55 
40 
34 
13 
15 
18 
20 
12 
18 
12 
13 
14 
20 
10 
18 

""15" 

"'io' 

18 


5 
14 

14 
20 
2' 
13 

14' 

27" 

9 
28 
7 
2,000 
72,000 
67, 176 
31,000 
9,900 
9,900 


732 

370 

430 

140 

110 

60 

36 

38 

10,880 

82,000 

72,000 

33,588 

20,222 

8,415 

1,200 

833 

1,200 

2,220 


24,000 
38,800 


105 
70 
65 
65 
SO 
55 
80 


510 
32 
90 
36 
40 
165 
400 
250 
95 
85 
70 
80 
36 
12 
15 
12 
45 
24 
12 
30 
15 
16 
10 
8 
50 
18 


18 
40 
32 
16 
18 
15 
15 
15 
30 
24 
30 
30 
50 
40 


40 


9 




24 


3 . . 




24 


4 




60 


5 




45 


6 




44 
5 
3 

'"""iio' 

360 

"'■7,' 666" 

7,500 
7,730 
4,080 
3,000 
5,400 


370 
933 
650 
600 
370 
332 
350 
242 
238 
200 
240 
160 

'"i26' 
100 
60 
22 
48 
35 
34 
36 
18 
38 
36 
16 


32 


7.. . 




36 


8 






9 






45 
32 
40 
30 
16 
15 




10 . .. 






11 






12 






13 . . 






14 






15 






16 






12 


12 
15 
18 
18 
30 
32 
36 
18 
45 
50 
36 
70 
18 




17 






18 










19 




20, 

12 

80 

5 










20 




80 
515 
465 

32 
248 


"2," 666' 
1,600 
1,134 
1,100 










21 




9,163 
4,392 
4,392 
1,200 
1,000 

933 
3,120 
1,000 

800 
1,360 










22 












23 




650 
40 

160 
61 








24 




5 

5 

125 

13 

1,300 

1,900 

"2;666" 








25 










26 


10 

270 

15 

1,300 

5 


36 
40 
60 
85 
110 
36 


833 
666 
290 








27 








28 

29 


650 
15,840 
33,600 
86,400 


260 
245 
150 
110 


'"76" 


40 
40 
30 
30 




30 

31 


30 


















Mean. 


320 


225 


517 


1,956 


234 


11 


27 


8,130 


14,303 


10, 594 


50 


76 


29 


37 



Note.— Averages- Julv 19 to 20, 2,800; July 21 to 22, 1,840; August 1 to 11, 18,720; August 12 to 22, 
20,000; August 23 to September 3, 315; Septeniber 17 to 28, 16. Turbidities over 50 were determined with 
a Jackson turbidimeter and turbidities of 50 or less were determined by comparison with silica stand- 
ards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie M. Burlingame and Harvey G. Elledge; a few were 
made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 



ARKANSAS EIVER. 



287 



Table 151.- — Analyses of water from Arkansas River at Arkansas City,0' Kans. 



[Drainage area, 44,500 square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in the chemical 
laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Date. 








M 










a 

3 












2 








>s 


a 

S 


a 
a 

o 


O 




"5^ 
o 


M 
S 

s 


a 03 


d 


o 
o 

w 

03 


6 


CD 

2; 


o 


"o 








> 


From— 


To- 


- 


s 




d 


m 


b 


a 


% 


03 ;z; 

a^ 


d 


d 
o 


£3 


« 


d 


'3 








1 




to 


1 


d 




d 


.3 


o 




ft 


1 


o 


3 








D 
H 


03 


o 
O 


S 


2 

l-H 


'3 
Q 


S 


o 
m 


03 
O 


s 


3 
02 


g 


3 
o 


o 


1906. 


1907 
































Dec. 7 


Jan. 


' 8 


1,700 


1,179 


0.69 


24 


0.8 


108 


32 


267 


0.0 


295 


300 


3.6 


278 


1,132 


1907. 


































Tan. 12 


Jan. 


21 


872 


709 


.81 


41 


3.0 


92 


7.2 


193 


.0 


276 


201 


3.5 


221 


882 


Jan. 22 


Feb. 


7 


415 


343 


.83 


40 


.20 


74 


21 


162 


612 


238 


135 


3.0 


180 


707 


Feb. 8 


Feb. 


17 


1,480 


763 


.52 


84 


.52 


120 


28 


217 


.0 


310 


270 


2.3 


229 


1,309 


Feb. 18 


Mar. 


10 


480 


339 


.71 


54 


.6 


109 


26 


274 


.0 


310 


57 


1.2 


330 


1.177 


Mar. 15 


Mar. 


24 


132 


167 


1.26 


31 


2.8 


109 


26 


253 


6 5.5 


288 


196 


1.2 


317 


1,060 


Apr. 8 


Apr. 


18 


14 


•9 


.64 


14 


1.2 


103 


14 


252 


.0 


282 


179 


.7 


330 


1,024 


Apr. 19 


Apr. 


27 


18 


48 


2.67 


17 


1.8 


85 


24 


241 


.0 


261 


169 


1.0 


328 


1,011 


Apr. 28 


May 


7 


70 


158 


2.26 


15 


3.0 


88 


19 


216 


.0 


265 


147 


2.0 


264 


857 


May 10 


May 


19 


180 


202 


1.12 


34 


2.5 


88 


13 


233 


.0 


252 


165 


1.8 


292 


938 


May 25 


June 


3 


30 


93 


3.10 


19 


.7 


86 


25 


236 


.0 


254 


162 


1.1 


312 


960 


June 6 


June 


15 


42 


105 


2.50 


35 


2 


83 


29 


250 


.0 


240 


159 


1.5 


292 


987 


June 28 


July 


7 


885 


722 


.82 


42 


6 


76 


21 


241 


.0 


235 


126 


2.5 


280 


862 


July 8 


July 


17 


112 


162 


1.45 


43 


1.5 


86 


24 


262 


612 


230 


152 


1.0 


328 


995 


July 18 


July 


27 


3,000 


2,224 


.74 


39 


12 


64 


19 




.0 


223 


100 


2.8 


192 


662 


July 28 


Aug. 


6 


27,500 


19,555 


.71 


36 


1.5 


123 


40 


"'"i84 


.0 


275 


363 
415 


1.9 


164 


1,028 


Aug. 7 


Aug. 


16 


18,360 


12, 182 


.60 


22 


1.0 


128 


34 


166 


.0 


200 


6.0 


125 


976 


Aug. 17 


Aug. 


26 


3,320 


2,432 


.73 


24 


.18 


103 


30 


170 


.0 


200 


270 


2.8 


170 


837 


Aug. 27 


Sept. 


5 


250 


250 


1.00 


32 


.07 


97 


30 


254 


.0 


210 


230 


1.1 


314 


1,067 


Sept. 6 


Sept. 


15 


95 


147 


1.55 


41 


.05 


90 


30 


279 


.0 


230 


210 


.5 


364 


1,105 


Sept. 16 


Sept. 


25 


80 


116 


1.45 


24 


.05 


93 


28 


237 


.0 


263 


167 


2.3 


310 


956 


Sept. 26 


Oct. 


5 


562 


726 


1.29 


16 


.10 


86 


21 


219 


.0 


172 


115 


1.5 


306 


813 


Oct. 6 


Oct. 


15 


238 


180 


.76 


31 


.20 


92 


21 


270 


.0 


2.50 


146 


1.8 


349 


994 


Oct. 16 


Oct. 


25 


130 


139 


1.07 


18 


.12 


97 


23 


305 


.0 


225 


157 


.6 


440 


1,141 


Oct. 26 


Nov. 


4 


65 


64 


.98 


24 


.30 


96 


18 


396 


.0 


275 


152 


.5 


430 


1,155 


Nov. 5 


Nov. 


14 


68 


53 


.78 


21 


.24 


97 


20 


273 


.0 


280 


148 


.8 


386 


1,078 


Dec. 1 


Dec. 
an 


10 


39 


37 


.95 


17 


1.6 


93 


27 


270 


.0 


255 


313 


.8 


368 


1,029 


Me 


2,227 


1,596 


1.19 


31 


1.6 


95 


24 


243 


.0 


253 


193 


1.8 


292 


990 




of anhy- 




Per cent 






























drous r 


esidue. 










3.1 


.2 


.4 


2.4 


24.1 


12.4 




19.2 


.2 


29.0 

















a The sampling station was located on the canal of the Land & Power Co., the head of which is above the 
mouth of Walnut River, 
b Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average 

Note.— Analyses from December 7, 1906, to January 21, 1907, and from March 15 to December 10, 1907, 
by F. W. Bushong; from January 22 to March 10, 1907, by Archie J. Weith.. 



288 QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Table 152. — Turbidity of daily samples from Arkansas River at Arkansas City, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H S. BaUey, Director.] 



Day. 


Dec, 
1906. 


1907. 


,Tan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1 . 








200 
190 
190 
260 
242 
265 
240 
240 
240 
240 





20 

22 

22 

140 

140 

295 


40 
50 
60 










80 
60 
70 
60 
70 
50 
70 
60 
60 
65 
70 
70 
80 
85 


45 


2 
















SO 


3 




1,370 
1,370 
1,330 


'""28" 

36 

36 

45 

42 

40 

155 

5,350 

2,800 

2,910 

370 

2,700 

360 

3,000 










32 


4 












40 


5 














36 


c 




50 
50 
20 
36 
24 
16 
55 
75 
50 
45 








220 

235 

230 

245 

225 

235 

240 

240 

250 

255 

125 

130 

150 

140 

150 

130 

130 

120 

100 

120 

65 

80 

60 

80 

50 

50 


40 


7 ... 


1,940 
1,700 
1,870 
1,740 
1,700 
1,268 


1,370 
1,330 

'"ses" 

414 

443 

488 

400 

313 

222 

1,920 

2,295 

1,660 

1,030 

1,000 

732 

520 

490 

140 

140 








36 


8 


13 
10 

.10 


"'96' 
90 
60 
60 
650 
800 
32 
36 
25 
25 
20 


200 

200 

80 

115 

100 

80 

80 

70 

100 

90 






40 


9 






32 


10 . 






40 


11 








12 


""285" 

240 

110 

125 

90 

105 

105 

110 

65 

80 


14 
14 
15 
17 
14 
19 
10 
10 
8 
9 
15 
14 
27 
25 
20 
32 
14 
12 
13 








13 








14 










15 










16 




"i'soo' 

3,320 
3,750 
4, 124 
3,500 


80 
60 
120 

"im 

80 
65 
55 
60 
80 






17 








18 








19 












20 












21 














22 










2,950 
3,170 
3,000 
3.170 
3,320 






23 








1,200 
662 
613 
600 
320 






24 












25 




15 
15 

18 
16 
18 
24 
18 








26.. . 












27 












28 
















29 




















30 • 






















31 














































Mean 


1,703 


888 


1,276 


181 


15 


110 


44 


294 


3,380 


78 


150 


68 


39 



Note.— Averages: June 28 to July 7, 885; July 18 to July 27,3.000; Julv 28 to August 6,27,500; August 7 
to August 16, 18,360; August 27 to September 5, 250; September 6 to 15, 95; September 26 to October 5, 562. 
Turbidities over 50 were determined with a Jackson tmbidimeter and turbidities of 50 or less were 
determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings werts made by Carrie M. Burlin- 
game and Harvey G. Elledge; a few were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 

Bear Creek. 

Bear Creek/ which rises in southeastern Colorado, enters Kansas 
a httle south of the middle of the western boundary of Stanton and 
about 30 miles south of Arkansas River. The creek flows north- 
eastward across Stanton County and enters Grant County about 4 
miles from the northwest corner of that county. In the western part 
of Stanton County it is a constantly flowing stream of clear water, 
but it soon smks and through most of its course is dry, except in 
times of flood, which usually occur about twice a year. The channel 
is very deep and rather narrow, and when in flood the stream is 
absolutely impassable. High water usually lasts about three days. 
The creek flows about 15 miles across the northwestern corner of 
Grant County into Kearny County, terminating in what is loiown 
as "Simk Well," in the southeastern edge of the sand hills, but 
floods extend the course of the river about 5 miles farther into the 
sand hills of Kearny County to a point within a short distance of 

1 William Easton Hutchinson, by letter. 



PAWNEE CREEK. 289 

Arkansas River. The banks of Bear Creek are higher than the sur- 
rounding country. So marked is this pecuharity that in some places 
the stream looks like an artificially constructed irrigation ditch. A 
slight, elongated depression extending through the sand hills in fine 
with Clear Lake, southeast of Hartland, makes it possible to believe 
that on some occasions in the past the waters of the creek have 
extended quite to the river. It has been a popular belief that Clear 
Lake indicated an outlet of a subsurface flow of the waters of Bear 
Creek. Careful investigations, however, have proved that such is 
not the case, but that if the waters of Bear Creek reach the river at 
all they must join the eastward underflow soon after reaching the 

sand hills. ^ 

White Woman Creek.^ 

A stream similar in every respect to Bear Creek on the south of the 
river is White Woman Creek on the north. This creek rises in Chey- 
enne County, Colo., a few miles west of the Kansas-Colorado State 
line and flows eastward for about 75 miles. In places its channel is 
eroded to a depth of nearly 100 feet below the uplands, and a flood 
plain nearly a mile wide has been produced. Southeast of Scott 
City the valley of the stream becomes lost in the Modoc Basin. Like 
Bear Creek, the stream is dry throughout a greater portion of the 
year, but in times of flood it pours out its waters abundantly into 
Modoc Basin. 

East of Garden is a depression, locally called Shallow Valley, 
which it is popularly believed extends northeastward and connects 
with White Woman Creek at the Modoc Basin. It is not known 
that levels have been run in this valley from Garden to Scott, but 
to one following this channel it appears to the eye like the old val- 
ley of White Woman Creek. Waters from this valley, however, do 
not reach Arkansas River in a direct underground flow, but join the 
eastward-moving underflow of the river. 

Pawnee Creek.^ 

DESCRIPTION. 

Pawnee Creek rises in the northern part of Gray County and flows 
northeastward and then eastward to its junction with Arkansas 
River at Larned. Its drainage basin lies north and northeast of 
Dodge and south of Walnut Creek and comprises the southern part 
of Ness County, the eastern part of Finney County, all of Hodgeman 
County, the northern part of Ford County, and all of Pawnee County 
except that portion which drains directly into Arkansas River. 

1 Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 153, 1906, pp. 18-21. 

2 The description of White Woman Creek Is taken from Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 2, pp. 33, 34. 

3 Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 2, pp. 32-33. 

77836°— wsp 273—11 19 



290 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

It is a small stream, but has an unusually large number of tribu- 
taries which drain an area of 50 or 60 townships to the north of Dodge. 
Its upper branches rise in the Tertiary deposits, but soon cut 
their channels through it to the Benton group. Tapping the ground- 
water of the Tertiary they have a constant flow throughout the year. 
A marked peculiarity of Pawnee Creek is that its upper branches on 
the south reach to within a mile or two of Arkansas River. Sawlog 
Creek, Buckner Creek, and Pawnee Fork, the chief tributaries, have 
worn channels 50 to 100 feet deep and have valleys varying from 
half a mile to 1 mile in width. 

The country occupied by Pawnee Creek in Pawnee and Edwards 
counties is a broad^ almost level, sandy plain, with a gentle incli- 
nation to the east. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

Tests of the waters of Pawnee Creek and its tributaries are recorded 
in assays 16, 17, and 18, Table 145, and analyses 5 and 6, Table 146. 
The three assays show waters of moderate temporary hardness and 
high sulphates. The fact that the chlorides are higher in assay 18 
than in assay 17 is evidence that the salt well at Larned contaminates 
Pawnee Creek. Analysis 5 shows a soft water and analysis 6 a 
slightly laxative water of moderate temporary and low permanent 
hardness. 

Walnut Creek.i 

DESCRIPTION. 

Walnut Creek rises in Lane County, near Dighton, and ilows east- 
ward, through Ness and Rush counties, entering Arkansas River 
about 4 miles below Great Bend. Its drainage basin is about 25 
miles wide, and comprises the major parts of Lane, Ness, and Rush 
counties, as well as the southeastern corner of Barton County. 

The stream rises in the Tertiary deposits, but in Ness County it 
reaches the Niobrara formation, into which it and its tributaries have 
cut deep channels. In Rush County it passes over the Benton group 
and finally reaches the Dakota sandstone in Barton County. 

The width of the valley of Walnut Creek is surprisingly great, 
nearly equahng that of Kansas River itself. The bluff Unes are 
exceedingly variable and depend upon the character of the material 
in which the valley is cut. At the east end of the valley, in the 
Dakota sandstone area, the bluff lines are relatively gentle. In 
fact, the valleys of Walnut Creek and Arkansas River coalesce 
several miles above Great Bend, so that throughout at least 10 
miles of its course the creek has no bluff lines, but simply flows 
in its little channel through the general vaUey to its confluence 

I Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 2, pp. 34r-35. 



cow CREEK. 291 

with the river. In Rush and Ness counties, where the Benton is 
exposed, the valley is limited by bluffs that in many places reach a 
height of 75 to 100 feet. Where tke several tributaries of Walnut 
Creek have cut their channels into Niobrara chalk, the valleys are 
narrow and bluff lines very abrupt. 

The valley of Walnut Creek is largely filled with fluviatile mate- 
rial, from which the principal water supply of the region is derived. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

Tests of the water of Walnut Creek and its tributaries are recorded 
in assays 19 and 20, Table 145, and analyses 7 and 8, Table 146. 
Assay 19 and analysis 7 are tests of a small pond on the North Fork 
of Walnut Creek, and together indicate a water tliat is slightly laxa- 
tive, and has moderate temporary and slight permanent hardness. 
Assay 20 and analysis 8 are tests of samples of Walnut Creek taken at 
the same time and spot. Together they show a laxative water of 
marked temporary hardness. 

Rattlesnake Creek. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Rattlesnake Creek rises in the southeastern part of Ford County 
near Bucklin and flows a general northeasterly course to Alden in 
Rice County, where it enters Arkansas River. The stream drains the 
northern part of Kiowa County, a small part of Edwards and Pratt 
counties, and practically all of Stafford County. 

Rattlesnake Creek has a fairly constant flow and throughout its 
course has eroded its channel in the Tertiary deposits. 

In the northeast corner of Stafford County the creek flows by a salt 
marsh which, although it does not discharge directly into the creek, 
makes it very salt. In fact, locall}^ , from the salt marsh to its mouth 
R.attlesnake Creek is known as Salt Creek. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

A test of the water of Rattlesnake Creek far above the salt marshes 
of Stafford County (assay 23, Table 145, p. 279), shows a soft water; 
a test of the water below these salt marshes (assay 24, Table 145) 
indicates clearly by the high chlorides how the drainage from these 
marshes has changed the character of the water. 

Cow Creek. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Cow Creek rises in the eastern part of Barton County and follows 
a general southeasterly course to its junction with Arkansas River 
at Hutchinson. The stream is a small one and drains most of Rice 
Countv. 



292 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

Tests of the water of Cow Creek at Hutchmson recorded in assay 27, 
Table 145, and analysis 10, Table 146, p. 281, show a water of moderate 
temporary and marked permanent hardness. 

Little Arkansas River. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Little Arkansas River rises in the northern part of Rice County 
and flows southeastward to its junction with the Arkansas near 
Wichita. 

Its drainage basin comprises the southern part of McPherson 
County, the eastern part of Rice County, the southeastern corner of 
Reno County, all except the eastern part of Harvey County, and a 
portion of the northern part of Sedgwick County. In this area are 
the Eguus beds which are described on pages 34-35. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

Tests of the water of Little Arkansas River and of some of its 
tributaries are recorded by analysis 12, Table 146, and assays 28 to 
32, Table 145. 

The analysis shows that toward its head the river carries a calcic 
alkaline water of high temporary and low permanent hardness. The 
waters of West Emma and East Emma creeks are shown by assays 28 
and 29 to have considerable temporary and httle permanent hardness. 
West Emma Creek having the softer water. In contrast to the 
waters of these two creeks is that of Sand Creek (assay 30, Table 
145), which has very great permanent hardness. The sulphates in 
Sand Creek are higher than the bicarbonates, which are not, however, 
low, and the chlorides are higher than in the waters of the Emma 
creeks. This striking difference in the quality of the water of Sand 
Creek and the two Emma creeks is explained by the fact that Sand 
Creek flows in that part of the Permian area which contains the gyp- 
sum beds, whereas West Emma and East Emma creeks flow in the 
Eguus beds and thus escape heavy mineraUzation. At Halstead 
(assay 31, Table 145) Little Arkansas River carries water of decided 
temporary and little permanent hardness. A test of Little Arkansas 
River in high stage at Wichita is recorded in assay 32, which shows 
abnormally low carbonates, indicating in this case the presence of 
considerable rain water. 

Ninnescah River. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Ninnescah River rises in the western part of Pratt County and 
flows in a general southeasterly direction to its union with Arkansas 
River north of Oxford in Sumner County. The principal tributary 



SLATE CREEK. 293 

of Ninnescah River is North Fork, which rises in the southeast corner 
of Stafford County, flows in a general southeasterly course, and joins 
the main stream in Sedgwick County southeast of Cheney. 

The Ninnescah drains the southeastern part of Stafford County, 
the southern part of Reno County, the northeastern part of Pratt 
County, the northern part of Kingman County, the western part of 
Sedgwick County, and the northeastern part of Sumner County. In 
Stafford, Reno, Pratt, and the northwestern part of Kingman 
counties the course of the river and its tributaries lies in the Ter- 
tiary deposits, but elsewhere its channel is in the Permian. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

Tests of the water of Ninnescah River at Pratt (assay 34, Table 145, 
and analysis 14, Table 146), indicate a soft water, as would be 
expected from the position of the channel in the Tertiary deposits, 
but the analysis shows somewhat higher sulphates and chlorides than 
are shown by the assay. At Kingman (assay 35, Table 145) the 
water of the Ninnescah continues soft, but the chlorides are much 
higher than at Pratt. They are believed to be derived from aban- 
doned salt works near the city. Tests of the water near the mouth 
of the river at Belle Plaine (assay 36, Table 145, and analyses 15 and 
16, Table 146), indicate greater temporary and permanent hardness 
than are indicated by tests at Kingman and Pratt. The higher sul- 
phates in all probability are derived from the Permian shales. The 
chlorides appear to be somewhat less than at Kingman, possibly 
because the water is diluted by that of the North Fork. 

No tests were made of the water of North Fork of Ninnescah River. 

Slate Creek. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Slate Creek is a small stream that rises in the northwestern corner 
of Sumner County and flows a general southeasterly course diagonally 
across the county, emptying into Arkansas River southwest of 
Tannehill and about 2 miles north of Geuda Springs. The course of 
the creek lies wholly within that part of the Permian in which the 
gypsiferous shales lie near the surface. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

That the water of Slate Creek has become highly mineralized with 
calcium, magnesium, sodium, carbonates, and sulphates derived from 
the Permian shales is shown by analyses 17, 18, and 19, Table 146 (p. 
281), which represent the composition of the creek water at Welling- 
ton. The water here is not particularly high in chlorides. A test of 
a sample taken north of Geuda Springs (assay 37, Table 145), indicates 
much higher chlorides and higher sulphates than are indicated by any 



294 



QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 



of the tests of the water of this creek at WeUington. The chlorides 
are derived from salt springs in Valverdi Township that are tributary 
to the creek. 

Walnut River. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Walnut River drains an area about 2,020 square miles in extent, 
comprising the eastern edges of Harvey and Sedgwick counties and 
all but the eastern edges of Butler and Cowley counties. The river 
is formed in Eldorado, Butler County, by the union of its east and 
west branches and flows southward to its junction with Arkansas 
River at Arkansas City, From source to mouth, a distance of about 
75 miles in a straight line, the river falls from an elevation of about 
1,410 feet to 1,030 feet above sea level. 

The basin consists of gently rolling pasture or cultivated land and 
adjoins the drainage basin of the Cottonwood on the north, the 
Verdigris on the east, and the main Arkansas on the west. 

A little southwest of Augusta, Walnut River is joined from the west 
by Whitewater River, which rises in the northeastern part of Harvey 
County. At Towanda the Whitewater receives West Whitewater 
River, which is formed north of Whitewater by the confluence of 
East Branch and West Branch of West Whitewater River, two 
streams that rise in Walton Township in the northeastern part of 
Harvey County. 

The eastern tributaries, heading in the Flint Hills, are more 
important than those from the west except Whitewater River. The 
river and the western tributaries of the Walnut head in the divide 
separating Walnut River from Little Arkansas and Arkansas rivers. 

The estimated monthly discharge of Walnut River at Arkansas 
City is given in the following table : 



Table 153. 



-Monthly discharge of Walnut River at Arkansas City, Kans., for period 
October, 1902, to November, 1903. 



Month. 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. 



Minimum. 



Mean. 



January 

February 

March 

April..... 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 



385 

2,140 

6,990 

2,140 

17,300 

11,500 

485 

385 

7,590 

2,760 

12,800 

510 



17,300 



105 
122 
460 
180 
240 
485 
105 
90 
60 
45 
75 
90 



233 

323 

1,260 

523 

5,080 

1,830 

261 

232 

534 

234 

880 

265 

971 



WALNUT RIVER. 295 



QUALITY OF WATER. 



The United States Geological Survey maintained, a daily sampling 
station on Walnut River at Winfield from December 2, 1906, to No- 
vember 26, 1907. Samples were collected by the Winfield Roller 
Mill & Elevator Co., and the completeness of the record of analyses 
of the composite samples, Table 154, testifies to the fidelity with 
which the sampling was done. The analyses show that the waters 
are heavily mineralized, as might be expected from the fact that the 
course of the river lies entirely within the Permian deposits. The 
total dissolved solids are high, but they vary a good deal. 

The water belongs to the calcic alkaline class and has high perma- 
nent and moderate temporary hardness. The sulphates are high in 
all the samples, but only the composite sample of November 6-16 
indicates that they are present in sufficient quantity to make treat- 
ment difficult. 

The observed variation in the amount of sulphates is to be ac- 
counted for by changes in relative amount of water from Whitewater 
River, carried by the Walnut, the Whitewater supplying most of the 
sulphates. The bicarbonates also are shown to vary in amount. 

A recoraf of the turbidity of the daily samples of Walnut River 
appears in Table 155. Of the 328 readings made, a little more than 
65 per cent was less than 50 and somewhat over 10 per cent was 
100 or more. Long periods of low turbidity occurred from Decem- 
ber 6, 1906, to January 16, 1907, from January 26 to March 2, 1907, 
from March 4 to May 4, 1907, and from July 2 to November 26, 1907. 
The lowest turbidity, 5, was recorded on February 11, and the high- 
est, 2,925, on January 19. The coefficient of fineness. Table 154, 
varies from 0.43 to 2.20. The fact that in six of the composite sam- 
ples the coefficient of fineness is less than 0.65, indicates that for 
considerable periods the matter in suspension in the river water was 
so fine that it would pass through slow sand filters unless coagulant 
was applied to the water. 

Tests of the water of Walnut River at Arkansas City (analyses 27 
to 31, Table 146) show about the same amplitude of variation as is 
shown at Winfield. The calcium and sulphates are high and the 
carbonates moderate in amount. 

Tests of samples of Walnut River taken at Winfield at widely 
separated intervals recorded in analyses 23, 24, and 25, Table 146, 
indicate considerable variation in the composition of the river water. 



296 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Table 154. — Analyses of water from Walnut River at Winfield, Kans. 

[Drainage area 1,870 square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in the chemical 
laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Date. 


sA 


s 


o 


O 






3 


03 . 

[-1 a 


_2 
"3 

03 

-2R 


03 

-°8 


d 


d 
5, 


3 


X! 








in 

> 


From— 


To- 


~ 


'2 
S 


■a 

g 
ft 

02 


.2 PI 
o 

CD 

o 
O 


03 


1 


6 
"3 


1 

03 


li 

02 


o 


SB 

o 

n 


C3 
02 


i 
.1 


2 

.3 

U 
O 

o 


o 


1906. 


190e 
































Dec. 2 


Dec. 


'll 


165 


125 


0.76 


22 


1.4 


76 


10 


29 





222 


52 


4.2 


12 


286 


Dec. 12 


Dec. 


21 


20 


16 


.80 


21 


.8 


92 


16 


31 


.0 


323 


55 


3.0 


12 


368 


Dec. 22 


Dec. 


31 


12 


6 


50 


26 


.4 


101 


22 


33 


.0 


360 


68 


3.7 


15 


388 


1907. 


1907. 






























Jan. 1 


Jan. 


10 


11 


9 


.82 


19 


.7 


107 


18 


24 


.0 


372 


70 


4.2 


18 


544 


Jan. 11 


Jan. 


20 


613 


423 


.69 


39 


4.0 


58 


7.9 


33 


a 9. 6 


230 


47 


7.0 


14 


316 


Jan. 21 


Jan. 
Feb. 


30 
11 


270 
11 


249 
12 


.92 
1.09 
























Jan. 31 


"2i'"' 


'".h" 


""'98' 


"r'.Q 


"28" 


'"."6" 


"366" 


'"68" 


'"6."2" 


'n" 


'387 


Feb. 12 


Feb. 


22 


8 


10 


1.25 


72 


.24 


121 


21 


46 


.0 


410 


89 


4.8 


17 


547 


Feb. 23 


Mar. 


4 


54 


51 


.94 


57 


.18 


82 


17 


33 


.0 


330 


86 


4.4 


16 


415 


Mar. 5 


Mar. 


14 


49 


42 


.86 


27 


.40 


86 


15 


33 


.0 


256 


71 


2.5 


8.4 


367 


Mar. 15 


Mar. 


24 


44 


31 


.70 


15 


2.4 


92 


19 


25 


a 8. 2 


276 


73 


3.3 


9.6 


367 


Mar. 26 


Apr. 


4 


61 


38 


.62 


16 


1.2 


98 


13 


30 


.0 


323 


77 


4.9 


7.3 


406 


Apr. 5 


Apr. 


15 


40 


25 


.62 


14 


1.0 


105 


15 


30 


.0 


374 


96 


.7 


13 


437 


Apr. 16 


Apr. 


26 


47 


22 


.47 


7.2 


.8 


101 


18 


27 


- .0 


317 


106 


1.5 


15 


530 


Apr. 27 


May 


7 


297 


302 


1.02 


13 


3.0 


88 


8.2 


33 


.0 


275 


86 


4.2 


IS 


371 


May 8 


May 


18 


201 


182 


.90 


21 


3.0 


78 


3.7 


23 


.0 


247 


59 


4.5 


9 


306 


May 19 


May 


30 


63 


49 


.78 


20 


1.2 


99 


14 


31 


.0 


345 


73 


6.0 


14 


400 


June 1 


June 


10 


58 


42 


.72 


17 


1.2 


111 


23 


31 


.0 


367 


97 


6.7 


15 


452 


June 11 


June 


22 


130 


141 


1.08 


20 


1.4 


77 


19 


33 


.0 


295 


87 


5.3 


16 


375 


June 23 


July 


5 


142 


99 


.70 


29 


3.0 


68 


19 


28 


.0 


235 


60 


6.5 


10 


316 


July 7 


July 


17 


56 


45 


.80 


30 


1.2 


76 


16 


36 


.0 


282 


50 


7.5 


11 


331 


July 18 


July 


29 


28 


22 


.78 


28 


2.0 


74 


21 


34 


a 5.0 


277 


73 


4.5 


14 


344 


July 30 


Aug. 


8 


20 


44 


2.20 


20 


1.0 


77 


28 


33 


.0 


216 


93 


2.8 


15 


357 


Aug. 9 


Aug. 


22 


29 


53 


1.83 


19 


3.2 


97 


24 


43 


.0 


270 


73 


2.7 


12 


361 


Aug. 24 


Sept. 


2 


42 


31 


.74 


19 


.18 


80 


20 


31 


.0 


243 


91 


4.0 


17 


340 


Sept. 3 


Sept. 


15 


20 


20 


1.00 


22 


.06 


97 


25 


35 


.0 


240 


144 


2.5 


18 


445 


Sept. 16 


Sept. 


28 


25 


37 


1.48 


13 


.14 


7S 


29 


38 





178 


137 


Tr. 


20 


382 


Sept. 29 


Oct. 


10 


28 


28 


1.00 


16 


.04 


87 


23 


35 


.0 


260 


115 


2.0 


17 


408 


Oct. 14 


Oct. 


23 


18 


25 


1.39 


8.6 


.10 


77 


20 


34 


.0 


225 


114 


Tr. 


16 


364 


Oct. 24 


Nov. 


5 


26 


14 


.54 


21 


.16 


106 


26 


33 


.0 


^288 


141 


1.8 


21 


478 


Nov. 6 


Nov. 


16 


28 


12 


.43 


16 


.20 


112 


23 


38 


.0 


300 


175 


1.8 


29 


539 


Nov. 17 


Nov. 
an 


26 


24 
















.0 


315 




2.2 


23 






















Me 


82 


71 


.92 


23 


1.2 


90 


18 


32 


.0 


292 


87 


3.7 


15 


398 




of anhy- 




Per cent 






























drous r 


esidue. 










5.4 


2.8 


21.2 


4.3 


7.5 


33.9 




20.5 


.9 


3.5 

















a Abnormal, computed as HCOs in the average. 

Note. — Analyses from December 2, 1906, to February 11, 1907, and from March 15, to November 26, 
1907, by F. W.'Bushong; from February 22, to March 14, 1907, by Archie J. Weith. 



WALNUT RIVER. 



297 



Table 155. — Turbidity of daily samples from Walnut River at Winfield, Kans. 
\^Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


Dec, 
1906. 


1907. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


1 




8 

7 

9 

15 

10 

15 

14 

5 

12 

12 

14 

13 

33 

28 

42 

45 

390 

237 

2,925 

2,400 

1,950 

950 

460 

140 

100 

45 

12 

16 

14 

12 

16 


12 
20 
8 
7 
6 
9 
10 
10 
10 

10 
9 
6 
7 
8 
9 
9 
9 

13 

■"■'s' 

20 
12 
11 
12 
15 
13 


15 
24 
220 
200 
65 
60 
85 
40 
40 
32 
32 
42 
50 
45 
38 
36 
40 
36 
45 
50 
50 
47 
48 
48 

""32" 
45 
40 
90 

48 
95 


80 
70 
65 

42 
42 
45 
47 
47 


43 
34 
55 
43 
900 
800 
966 
562 


62 
62 
53 
50 
43 
43 
58 
70 
70 
65 
55 

'"68" 
50 

'"'65' 
65 
43 
60 
60 
65 
765 
170 
160 


120 
75 
62 

48 
48 

"eo" 

70 
70 
70 

75 
48 
35 

"'46' 
60 
32 
30 
43 
45 
22 
27 


20 
13 

8 
18 
18 
12 
27 
40 
45 
25 

'"is" 

"'24' 
14 

'"24" 
200 
190 

"'56' 
55 


20 

18 
18 
24 

'"26" 
16 
12 
24 
26 
30 
24 
24 
12 
15 
40 
24 
12 
16 
18 
15 
32 
36 
30 
30 
18 
30 
18 
40 


45 
24 
18 
24 
15 
32 
15 
■ 40 
36 
15 

'"15" 

'"is" 

12 
18 
IS 
16 
15 
32 
18 
45 
18 
45 
45 


12 


2 

3 

4 


550 
310 
183 
135 
95 
65 
55 
50 
45 
50 
50 
16 
25 
25 
18 
18 
15 
10 
15 
10 
10 
24 
14 
10 
11 
10 
8 

10 
9 
11 


16 
12 

18 


6 


18 


6 


30 


7 




8 


16 


9 


24 


10 


46 
27 
32 
37 
38 
42 
45 
62 
45 
55 
55 

"'57' 
44 
42 
30 
35 
24 
55 


190 

120 

65 

75 

532 

265 

75 

65 

65 

65 

68 

60 

55 

"'42' 

46 

100 

70 

65 


30 


11 


32 


12 


50 


13 


32 


14 . .. 


36 


15 


15 


16 


18 


17 


15 


18 


24 


19 . 


24 


20 


45 


21 




22 




23 




24 


32 


56 
65 
65 
50 
45 
50 
32 
20 




25 


16 


26 . . .. 


160 
"'460" 


20 
16 
22 
22 
26 
16 


18 


27 




28 




29 






30 


52 


62 


120 


30 

24 




31... . . . .. 














Mean 


62 


321 


10 


58 


47 


203 


118 


46 


46 


23 


25 


24 







Note. — Turbidities over 50 were determined with a Jackson turbidimeter, and turbidities of 50 or less 
were determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie M. Burlin- 
game and Harvey G. Elledge; a few were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 

Tests of samples taken from the east and west branches of the 
Walnut (assays 38 and 39, Table 145, and analysis 20, Table 146) 
show that the waters of these two streams are of moderate hardness, 
that the bicarbonates predominate over the sulphates, which are 
low, and that the chlorides are low. At Augusta (assay 43, Table 
145) the water of the Walnut is of about the same quality as that of 
the two branches at Eldorado. 

A sample of water from Whitewater River about the mouth of 
West Branch of Whitewater River at Towanda shows high sulphates, 
moderate bicarbonates, and low chlorides. The high sulphates are 
derived from the gypsum deposit, 7^ miles southwest of Burns on 
Davis Creek,^ a stream that joins the Whitewater near Potwin and 
that cuts through the gypsum at a place where the bed is about 9 
feet thick. 

Tests of the West Whitewater at Whitewater (analyses 21 and 22, 
Table 146) show that the water of the creek at this point is very high 
in calcium, magnesium, and sulphates; in fact, this creek at "White- 
water furnished the hardest surface water that was encountered 

1 Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 5, p. 67. 



298 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

during the whole examination of the quahty of waters in the State, 
except only the water of Turkey Creek in Dickinson County. The 
calcium and sulphates are derived from gypsum deposits. Below 
Wliitewater West Whitewater River receives a run, known as Gypsum 
Creek, that heads northwest of Annely and flows through the city. 
At Annely gypsum of good quality occurs in the wells at a depth of 
30 feet, and the rock outcrops on the creek just south of the city. 
Still farther down West Whitewater River receives another Gypsum 
Creek, which heads near McLain and flows southeastward, passing 
somewhat northeast of Furley, where there was a plaster mill which 
used gypsum rock found near by. At Towanda, above Whitewater 
River, the water of West W^hitewater River (assay 41, Table 145), 
is very high in sulphates, but at the time the sample was taken it 
was not as high in sulphates as when the analyses were made at 
Wliitewater. A test of the water of Whitewater River at Augusta 
(assay 42, Table 145), shows the water to be very hard. 

It appears from all the assays and analyses that above Augusta 
the water of Walnut River is of very fair quality for boiler use, but 
that at Augusta it becomes impregnated with sulphates, calcium, and 
magnesium brought in by Whitewater River, whose water should 
be shunned for boiler use. The water of West Whitewater River 
is even more highly mineralized with calcium and sulphates than is 
that of Whitewater River itself. 

A test of Dutch, or, as it is locally known, Timber Creek, at Win- 
field is recorded in assay 44, Table 145. The creek was in flood at 
the time the sample was collected for assay and the bicarbonates are 
therefore perhaps somewhat lower than they would be when the 
creek is in normal stage. 

The tributaries that enter Walnut River from the east appear to 
carry somewhat softer water than those from the west, because the 
eastern tributaries do not drain areas including gypsum deposits. 

Grouse Creek. 

Grouse Creek rises in the southeast corner of Butler County and 
flows diagonally across Cowley County, emptying into Arkansas River 
at the Kansas-Oklahoma State line southeast of Arkansas City. 

Tests of the waters of Grouse Creek and its principal tributaries, 
recorded in assays 45 and 46, Table 145 (p. 280), and analyses 33 and 
34, Table 146 (p. 281), indicate low permanent hardness and temporary 
hardness not so excessive but that it can be removed by chemical 
treatment if its removal is found advisable. 



QUALITY OF THE WATER StJl»PLiES OF KANSAS. 299 

Salt Fork of Arkansas River.' 
DESCRIPTION. 

Salt Fork of Arkansas River is formed by the junction of Nes- 
gatunga and Big Mule creeks in the southwestern part of Barber 
County near Aetna. The stream soon passes into Oklahoma, flows 
across the northern edge of the great salt plains, from which it acquires 
the saline character that suggested its name, and then continues to 
its junction with Arkansas River in Noble and Kay counties, Okla. 
The principal tributaries of Salt Fork in Kansas, in addition to Nes- 
gatunga and Big Mule creeks, are Medicine Lodge and Chikaskia 
rivers. 

NESGATUNGA AND BIG MULE CREEKS. 
DESCRIPTION. 

Nesgatunga and Big Mule creeks drain the southern part of the 
Medicine Lodge gypsum area, and, together with the other tributaries 
of Salt Creek west of Medicine Lodge River, carry the run-off from 
gypsum-bearing strata. The divide between Medicine Lodge River 
and these tributaries of Salt Fork of Arkansas River is broad in 
Comanche County and rapidly narrows to the southeast in Barber 
County. The area drained by all these creeks consists of soft red 
shales covered by a heavy gypsum layer, which is soft but much firmer 
than the friable shales below. All conditions have been favorable for 
rapid erosion, and the streams have cut deep valleys separated by 
narrow divides which are carved into towers and buttes of red clays 
and shales supported by interlacing selenite layers. Many of the 
buttes rise 200 feet above the canyon and are capped by a bed of 
massive white gypsum, producing an impression like that made by 
the ''badlands" of the Northwest. 

Rain and frost have widened the upper portions of the stream val- 
leys, giving them the characteristic V foxm. The hills are somewhat 
circular in outline and their lower portions are hidden under a mass 
of fan-shaped talus. The erosion is at first checked by the gypsum 
caps, but when these are cut through goes forward rapidly. 

In this area many streams with steep slopes are dry much of the 
year, for the water runs very rapidly into the rivers or disappears in 
the soft sandy beds of the streams. Some of these streams bear such 
appropriate names as Sand Creek, Dry Creek, etc. After heavy rains, 
they become raging torrents of tumultuous sand and silt laden waters, 
that are impossible to ford, and are active agents of erosion. The 
whole region presents most rugged topography and a scenery very 
different from that which characterizes the State as a whole. 

1 Much of the description of Salt Fork of Arkansas River is taken from Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, 
vol. 5, pp. 37-39, p. 357. 



300 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

The water of Big Mule Creek at Wilmore, according to assay 47, 
Table 145, is of moderate temporary and little permanent hardness, 
which might be predicted from the fact that the course of the stream 
from its head to Wilmore is entirely within the Tertiary deposits. 
About 6 miles southeast of Wilmore, Big Mule Creek cuts down to the 
Permian and flows therein to its junction with Nesgatunga Creek, 
so that in the lower part of its course the water is probably highly 
mineralized. 

MEDICINE LODGE BIVER. 
DESCRIPTION. 

Medicine Lodge River rises in the southern part of Kiowa County, 
and takes a general southeasterly course, passing across Barber 
County and thence into Alfalfa County, Okla., where it joins the Salt 
Fork of the Arkansas. 

The river and the small streams that enter it at and somewhat below 
Belvidere rise in an area of Tertiary deposits, but it soon passes across 
the rocks of the Comanche series and enters an area of Permian 
deposits, in which it continues throughout the rest of its course in 
Kansas. 

The main stream, its northern tributaries as far down as Sun City, 
and its southern tributaries as far south as Medicine Lodge, drain the 
northern part of the southern or Medicine Lodge gypsum area. South 
of Medicine Lodge Elm Creek enters the riverfrom the north. Through 
much of its course Elm Creek flows in Tertiary deposits, but it enters 
the Comanche series south of Sawyer, in Barber County, and within a 
short distance cuts down to the Permian deposits, in which it con- 
tinues to its mouth. It is normally a clear stream of bright water, 
which drains an area free from gypsum, a most fortunate circumstance 
for Medicine Lodge, which, though situated in the gypsum area, is able 
to get from Elm Creek a supply of soft water. The creeks south of 
the river, Bear, Dog, Little Bear, Bitter, Cedar, and Walnut, flow 
northward in parallel courses, the uniformity of direction being a 
striking feature. 



SALT FORK OF ARKANSAS RIVER. 



301 



The discharge of Medicine Lodge River at Kiowa is given in the 
following table: 

Table 156. — Monthly discharge of Medicine Lodge River at Kiowa, Kans..,for period 
May 6, 1895, to October 31, 1896. 

[Drainage area, 1,300 square miles.] 



Month. 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. Minimum. Mean 



January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 



55 
55 
171 
187 
11,860 
24, 600 
427 
110 
130 
154 
156 



24, 600 



46.0 
42.0 
33.0 
40.0 
26.0 

639 

977 
18.0 
12.0 
25.0 
49.0 
26.0 



161 



QUALITY OF WATER. 

The United States Geological Survey maintained a daily sampling 
station on Medicine Lodge River at Kiowa from January 22, 1906, 
to September 14, 1907. R. L. Vandusen and Lou Bedwell were the 
collectors. Results of the analyses of composite samples taken at 
this point are recorded in Table 157. The tests show that the river 
water is very heavily mineralized and that the sulphates predom- 
inate over the bicarbonates. The amount of sulphates present in 
the river water and the ratio of sulphates to bicarbonates fluctuate 
continually. Probably two causes operate to produce the changes. 
In times of heavy rain, the water of the river is in all likelihood fresh- 
ened and the ratio of sulphates to bicarbonates altered. Likewise, 
when the percentage of Elm Creek water in the river rises the ratio 
of sulphates to carbonates is decreased and vice versa. The analyses 
show high sodium, high chlorides, and more iron than is found in 
many Kansas streams. Assays 48 and 49, Table 145, indicate that the 
chlorides come from Medicine Lodge River rather than Elm Creek. 

Because of its great permanent hardness and tendency to corrode, 
the water of the river is unsuitable for boiler use. 

A record of the turbidity of the daily samples at Kiowa appears 
in Table 158. Of the 204 readings made, over 49 per cent were less 
than 50 and nearly 37 per cent 100 or more. There were long periods 
of high and long periods of low turbidity. Thus from January 23 to 
February 28 and from June 30 to August 7, the turbidity was high, 
whereas from March 29 to April 30, from June 2 to 29, and from 
August 18 to 28 it was low. The highest turbidity, 966, was re- 
corded on July 25 and lowest, 3, on April 22. 



302 



QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 



A test of the water of Medicine Lodge River at Medicine Lodge 
(assay 48, Table 145) shows very high sulphates and moderately 
high bicarbonates, so that it has very high permanent and moder- 
ately high temporary hardness. The high sulphates are to be 
expected, as the river flows through the heart of the Medicine Lodge 
gypsum area. 

Elm Creek, which enters the river at Medicine Lodge, has nowhere 
in its course eroded through gypsum deposits nor has it become 
highly minerahzed in its rather short passage in the Permian de- 
posits. On the contrary, it carries a very soft water, as ia shown 
by assay 49, Table 145, and analysis 35, Table 146. 

Table 157. — Analyses of water from Medicine Lodge River, at Kiowa, Kans. 

Drainage area, 940 square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made by F. W. Bushong in 
the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Date. 




fe 













^ . 




0) 














>> 


1 

a 

T3 


a 2 


6 






i 

a 

3 


4-i ^— V 

ft 


d 
o 


03 

-8" 


d 

CQ 




3 


> 






1" 


From— 


To— 


'5 
S 

3 


a 
a 

3 


.2 '^ 


o 


PI 
1 


3 
"S 


1 


-§•5 
02 






.a 

a 
m 


1 


a 
1 
o 


SI 

s 

o 
Eh 


1907. 


1907. 






























Jan. 21 


Feb. 1 


152 


164 


1.08 


39 


1.8 


218 


47 


90 


0.0 


280 


512 


3.5 


84 


1,266 


Feb. 2 


Feb. 12 


162 


171 


1.06 


26 


.20 


192 


37 


105 


.0 


288 


495 


.6 


92 


1,081 


Feb. 13 


Feb. 23 


134 


116 


.86 


87 


.40 


177 


36 


94 


.0 


266 


443 


.7 


69 


1,048 


Feb. 24 


Mar. 26 


115 


182 


1.58 


24 


2.0 


164 


36 


89 


.0 


230 


428 


1.2 


74 


953 


Mar. 27 


Apr. 5 


49 


70 


1.43 


18 


.6 


152 


44 


104 


.0 


203 


457 


.3 


100 


1,014 


Apr. 6 


Apr. 15 


41 


79 


1.93 


27 


3.0 


148 


30 


86 


.0 


222 


376 


.6 


75 


880 


Apr. 16 


Apr. 26 


24 


35 


1.46 


20 


1.8 


151 


40 


115 


.0 


309 


343 


28.0 


98 


1,072 


Apr. 27 


May 7 


75 


91 


1.21 


22 


1.2 


158 


35 


85 


.0 


265 


401 


1.9 


73 


907 


May 8 


May 17 


54 


59 


1.09 


13 


.8 


193 


59 


134 


.0 


?22 


633 


1.6 


141 


1,346 


May 18 


May 26 


41 


62 


1.51 


22 


1.2 


167 


37 


122 


.0 


187 


522 


1.6 


116 


1,146 


May 28 


June 6 


46 


51 


1.11 


18 


.6 


202 


47 


132 


.0 


243 


602 


1.5 


127 


1,371 


June 7 


June 16 


20 


33 


1.65 


5.4 


.7 


218 


76 


168 


.0 


268 


730 


1.5 


178 


1,654 


June 17 


June 26 


20 


23 


1.15 


15 


1.2 


218 


109 


212 


.0 


212 


867 


1.7 


206 


1.825 


June 27 


July 6 


140 


117 


.84 


28 


4.0 


99 


45 


93 


.0 


167 


330 


2.1 


82 


'773 


July 7 


July 17 


130 


103 


.79 


31 


1.5 


122 


32 


57 


.0 


238 


252 


2.4 


43 


645 


July 18 


July 27 


766 


543 


.71 


35 


8.0 


126 


19 


61 


.0 


215 


248 


6.0 


42 


638 


July 28 


Aug. 9 


296 


214 


.72 


30 


2.2 


98 


19 


46 


.0 


150 


215 


3.0 


30 


506 


Aug. 10 


Aug. 19 


67 


83 


1.24 


32 


.8 


152 


43 


103 


.0 


213 


423 


3.5 


94 


958 


Aug. 20 


Aug. 30 


40 


29 


.72 


27 


.50 


168 


62 


133 


.0 


225 


510 


6.0 


132 


1,176 


Aug. 31 


Sept. 11 


62 


58 


.94 


16 


.09 


132 


34 


92 


.0 


185 


316 


3.5 


111 


815 


Sept. 12 


Sept. 14 
an 

of anhy- 


36 
















.0 


170 




.4 


91 




















Me 


118 


114 


1.15 


27 


1.6 


163 


44 


106 


.0 


226 


455 


3.4 


98 


1,054 


Per cent 






























drous r 


esidue. . . . 








2.7 


.2 


16.1 


4.4 


10.5 


11.0 




45.1 


.3 


9.7 

















SALT FORK OF ARKANSAS RIVER. 



303 



Table 158. — Turbidity of daily samples from Medicine Lodge River at Kiowa, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


1907. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


1 




130 

180 

50 

70 

115 

60 

130 

200 




48 
45 
47 
28 
45 
42 
45 
46 
30 
75 
40 
30 
35 
20 
50 
52 
28 
28 
34 
38 
4 
3 

io' 

18 
10 
22 
22 
22 
14 






190 
200 
180 
180 
200 
190 
190 
180 
200 
125 
140 
120 
115 
100 
75 

55' 

40 
650 
866 
765 
650 
650 
933 
966 
900 
900 
833 
275 
295 
295 


'296" 
270 

" "295" 
290 
50 
65 
68 
60 
140 
90 
80 
65 
65 
50 
26 
26 
20 
22 
22 
34 
14 
27 
24 
20 
15 
105 
120 
120 


125 


2 




170 

120 

110 

85 

120 

65 

120 

115 

100 

32 

32 

34 

36 

24 

34 

15 

22 

20 

15 

36 

40 

85 

45 

36 

38 

75 

75 

40 

45 

180 


32 
24 
22 
24 
10 
15 
20 
12 
11 
12 
22 
14 
38 
36 
17 
17 
17 
14 
22 
17 
18 
22 
20 
24 
18 
18 
20 
26 
190 


110 


3 




100 


4 




70 


5 




40 


6 




36 


7 




32 


8 




36 


9 




30 


10 




338 
250 
230 
190 
180 




24 


11 




20 


12 




40 


13 




35 


14 




32 


15 






16 




160 
190 
170 
115 
140 
100 

90 
105 

95 
105 
180 
360 
160 


50' 

45 
11 
60 
40 
90 
70 
30 
40 
46 




17 






18 






19 






20 






21 






22. 






23 


342 
120 
180 
130 




24 








26 




27 




28 


180 

160 

200 

75 




29 




30 




31 








Mean 


173 


157 


48 


32 


65 


26 


382 


88 


52 







Note. — Turbidities of over 50 were determined with a Jackson turbidimeter and turbidities of 50 or less 
were determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie M. 
Burlingame and Harvey G. Elledge; a few were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 

CHIKASKIA RIVER. 
DESCRIPTION. 

Chikaskia River and its tributaries drain the southeastern part of 
Pratt County, the northeastern corner of Barber County, the southern 
part of Eangman County, the southwestern corner of Sumner County, 
and all of Harper County except the western part. In Barber, Pratt, 
and Kingman counties the river flows in the Tertiary deposits, but 
through the rest and greater part of its course the stream is within 
the Permian deposits. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

Through the courtesy of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway 
Co. daily samples of water were collected for the United States Geo- 
logical Survey from Chikaskia River at Argonia from November 30, 
1906, to July 5, 1907. A record of the analyses of the composite 
samples appears in Table 159. 

The table shows a calcic alkaline water that is not highly mineral- 
ized, is low in chlorides, and that has low temporary and permanent 
hardness. 



304 



QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



The turbidity of the daily samples is recorded in Table 160. Of 
the 201 readings, 89 per cent were less than 50, and somewhat more 
than 6 per cent were 100 or greater. The lowest turbidity, 3, was 
recorded on February 20 and the highest, 2,660, on January 19. 

The coefficient of fineness (Table 159) is high, indicating that the 
matter in suspension is coarse. 

The composition of the water of Bluff Creek which enters Chikaskia 
Kiver southeast of Caldwell, is shown by analyses 40, 41, and 42, 
Table 146, and assay 51, Table 145. The tests indicate that the 
creek water varies in quality but that it has considerable temporary 
and marked permanent hardness. The water of Fall Creek, a tribu- 
tary of Bluff Creek (assay 50, Table 145), appears to be similar to 
that of Bluff Creek, though it has somewhat more temporary hardness. 

Table 159. — Analyses of water from Chikaskia River at Argonia, Kans. 

[Drainage area, 520 square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in the chemical labor- 
atories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Date. 






1 


S 










k 




<o 








^ 








>> 


S 




a 0) 










a" 
3 







^1 


6 

03 





5 


-o 








1 


From— 


To- 


- 


'2 


1 


.S ^ 


.0 




1 






03 







03 
, ft 


5 

2 


a; 


'3 '" 
"3 








3 

H 


3 






s 


2 

h- 1 


"3 


1 


" 





« 




S 


3 






1906. 


190C 






























• 


Nov. 30 


Dee. 


'lO 


60 


39 


0.65 


31 


0.30 


51 


11 


36 


0.0 


278 


26 


0.2 


14 


299 


Dec. 11 


Dec. 

1907 


23 


12 


13 


1.08 


21 


.9 


71 


14 


40 


05.0 


304 


37 


.8 


19 


325 


Dec. 24 


Jan. 


'3 


12 


16 


1.33 


29 


.40 


69 


15 


43 


a 4. 8^ 


302 


. 35 


.9 


19 


315 


1907. 


































Jan. 4 


Jan. 


13 


13 


17 


1.31 


25 


.8 


68 


22 


39 


.0 


300 


34 


4.0 


20 


307 


Jan. 14 


Jan. 


24 


417 


261 


.62 


43 


2.0 


56 


6.2 


46 


09.6 


260 


25 


3.3 


11 


310 


Jan. 25 


Feb. 


5 


35 


36 


1.03 


46 


1.6 


72 


6.5 


41 


015 


284 


45 


1.9 


15 


354 


Feb. 7 


Feb. 


16 


30 


43 


1.43 


35 


.18 


71 


16 


35 


06 


262 


41 


.4 


13 


350 


Feb. 18 


Feb. 


27 


17 


13 


.76 


48 


.20 


74 


16 


47 


ai 


280 


62 


1.2 


15 


383 


Feb. 28 


Mar. 


10 


25 


29 


1.16 


32 


.32 


65 


16 


43 


04.8 


275 


34 


1.2 


15 


323 


Mar. 11 


Mar. 


21 


14 


15 


1.07 


17 


.25 


64 


12 


27 


.0 


281 


38 


.5 


14 


306 


Mar. 22 


Mar. 


31 


16 


15 


.94 


19 


1.8 


60 


10 


39 


08.9 


262 


29 


.3 


13 


297 


Apr. 1 


Apr. 


10 


15 


11 


.73 


20 


1.0 


68 


4.3 


36 


06.2 


263 


40 


.2 


12 


305 


Apr. 11 


Apr. 


21 


12 


10 


.83 


14 


.8 


63 


3.0 


33 


04.0 


264 


34 


.4 


15 


282 


Apr. 22 


May 


1 


14 


10 


.71 


16 


2.0 


64 


15 


36 


.0 


252 


32 


.5 


13 


281 


May 2 


May 


12 


31 


34 


1.10 


26 


3.2 


63 


1.7 


39 


.0 


275 


27 


.8 


15 


291 


May 13 


May 


22 


17 


18 


1.06 


24 


1.0 


63 


9 


38 


.0 


275 


35 


.9 


23 


298 


May 24 


June 


2 


19 


23 


1.21 


22 


.40 


62 


15 


38 


.0 


260 


30 


.3 


15 


279 


June 3 


June 


13 


30 


38 


1.27 


18 


.6 


61 


13 


40 


07.0 


245 


30 


.8 


14 


282 


June 14 


June 


24 


60 


63 


1.05 


30 


3.0 


54 


18 


40 


a9.6 


223 


31 


1.0 


13 


272 


June 25 


July 
an 


5 


220 


169 


.77 


44 


6.0 


51 


15 


34 


.0 


235 


24 


1.9 


12 


285 


Me 


53 


44 


1.00 


28 


1.3 


64 


12 


38 


.0 


278 


34 


1.1 


15 


307 




of anhy- 




Per cent 






























drous r 


esidue. 










8.5 


.6 


19.3 


3.6 


11.5 


41.4 




10.3 


.3 


4.5 

















a Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 

Note.— Analyses from November 30, 1906, to Febniary 5, 1907, and from March 22 to July 5, 1907, by 
F. W. Bushong; from February 7 to March 21, 1907, by Archie J. Weith. 



CIMARRON" RIVER. 



305 



Table No. 160. — Turbidity of daily samples from Chikaskia River at Argonia, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


Dec, 
1906. 


Jan. 






1907. 








Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


Jime. 


July. ■ 


1 


120 
70 
45 
27 
18 
18 
16 
11 


27" 

14 

7 

7 

8 

11 

6 

10 

6 

13 

45 

20 

24 

18 

16 

18 

16 

2,660 

1,000 

225 

120 

76" 

40 
40 
36 
36 
30 
42 
24 


34 
43 

is' 

10 

is" 

7 
45 

48 
40 
32 
35 
24 
30 
25 

26" 

16 
3 
5 

20 
24 
15 
12 
26 
23 
40 


35 
35 
24 

24" 

16 
16 
20 
13 
22 
15 
20 
15 
12 
12 

24" 

10 
12 
12 
12 
10 
18 
18 
18 
22 
18 
18 
13 
14 
12 


14 
20 
14 
12 
14 
13 
15 
14 
15 
15 
13 

io" 

13 

13 

12 

13 

9 

11 

13 

11 

13 

10 

5 

9 

15 

18 

3 

9 

32 


24 
9 

20 
34 
34 
75 

35" 

24 
24 
28 
30 
26 
18 
10 
15 
5 
15 
20 
15 
27 
20 


30 
30 
22 
14 
27 
30 
26 


100 


2 


80 


3 


60 


4 


78 


5 


80 


6 




7 




8 




9 


32 
40 
38 
38 
35 
43 
27 
6 
22 
28 
28 
24 
36 
320 




10 


12 
12 
12 
12 
10 




11 




12 




13 




14 




15 




16 


10 




17 




18 


15 
12 
10 
8 




19 




20 




21 








23 


13 
12 

8 
10 

6 

7 

10 
19 

6 






15 
15 
18 
14 
14 
5 
15 
30 


70 
110 
425 
765 
260 
130 
110 




25 








27 








29 








31 










Mean 


20 


158 


25 


18 


13 


25 


99 


80 







' Note. — Turbidities of over 50 were determined with a Jackson tiu-bidimeter, and turbidities of 50 or less 
were determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie M. 
Burlingame and Harvey G. Elledge; a few were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 

The results of tests of the water of a small pond tributary to Chi- 
kaskia River are given in analyses 36 and 37, Table 146. The water 
has high permanent and low temporary hardness. Tests of the 
river at Argonia are recorded in analyses 38 and 39, Table 146. 

Cimarron River. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Cimarron River rises among the volcanic peaks in the Raton 
Mountains in Colfax County, N. Mex., at an elevation of nearly 7,000 
feet above sea level, flows eastward to the eastern part of Cimarron 
County, Okla., where it turns to the northeast, passing across the 
southeastern corner of Baca County, Colo., and entering Kansas in 
the southwestern part of Morton County; at Ulysses, in Grant County, 
it turns sharply to the southeast, crossing Seward County and the 
southwestern corner of Meade County, and entering Oklahoma again 
a few miles beyond Miles, Kans., for about 25 miles it flows eastward 
across northern Beaver County, into Woodward County, Okla., 

77836°— wsp 273—11 20 



306 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

then bends northeastward again, passing into Clark County, Kans., 
near the eastern edge of which it again turns abruptly to the south- 
east, passing for the third time into Oklahoma, across which it con- 
tinues its southeastward course to its junction with the Arkansas at 
Keystone, Osage Nation, Okla. The extreme width of the basin 
is not more than 50 miles, its length is about 450 miles, and its area 
comprises 5,200 square miles. 

As the river enters Oklahoma for the first time it flows nearly due 
east for more than 30 miles in a canyon cut in the sandstone plateau. 
Its valley averages 3 miles in width and the rugged hills, which dis- 
appear near the place where the river flows from Oklahoma into 
Colorado, are 300 to 400 feet high. From the sandstone issue springs 
which feed intermittent creeks. The channel in this part of its 
course is not more than 20 feet wide and is in many places confined 
by mud banks. From the canyon the river emerges onto the plain 
of Tertiary deposits, across which it flows in a broad shallow valley 
carved in the level upland. The banks become low, the channel 
widens, and the water wanders about over the sandy bed. At 
irregular intervals the river sinks into the sand and flows beneath the 
surface for a number of miles. For instance, from the old post office 
of Metcalf, Okla., to Point of Rocks, Kans., a distance of 25 miles, 
the channel of the Cimarron is often dry, but at Point of Rocks, 
Kans., the water comes to the surface at Wagon Bed Springs, a 
famous camp on the old Santa Fe trail, and the channel is usually 
full from that point on for a number of miles. It gradually sinks 
again before reaching Oklahoma a second time, so that above the 
mouth of Crooked Creek the channel is often dry. 

In Kansas the bluffs on either side of the river are rounded rather 
than abrupt, but rise to a height of 100 to 150 feet. The valley 
itself averages not more than a mile in width tln'oughout Morton, 
Stevens, and Grant counties. Farther east it widens so that in south- 
western Meade County it is nearly 2 miles wide and the bluffs become 
more abrupt, owing to the "mortar beds" which lie near the surface 
throughout the greater part of Seward County. At Arkalon and a 
few miles above and below the city, the bluffs are particularly abrupt 
and the valley is entirely cut down to the broad, flat Tertiary plains. 
Perhaps no river valley in Kansas is more nearly a channel cut 
downward with almost vertical walls into a broad, flat plain. The 
mortar beds protect the surface from assuming the customary rounded 
forms of erosion. Up to this point, where the river enters Oklahoma 
for the third time, its water has been sweet, but in northern Wood- 
ward County, Okla., it flows tlirough the Salt Plains and becomes so 
salty that stock will scarcely drink the water. 

In Kansas, from Arkalon southward, Cimarron River usually has 
water in it throughout the greater part of the year. The stream is 



OIMAKRON RIVER. 307 

subject to a June rise, which is caused by the melting of snows in the 
mountains at its head. 

Crooked, Sand, Bear, and Bluff Creeks, the principal tributaries of 
Cimarron Kiver in Kansas, drain Clark County, the eastern part of 
Meade County, and the western part of Comanche County, and 
enter the main stream from the north. These streams rise in the 
Tertiary deposits and flow across a narrow strip of the Lower Cre- 
taceous or Comanche series, and then complete their course in the 
Permian. In Meade and Clark counties the streams have relatively 
high velocity, and have cut channels from one-quarter to one-half a 
mile in width, covered to a depth of 10 to 20 feet with residual sands 
derived from the Tertiary. These streams present marked contrast 
to the streams that head in the Niobrara formation and the lime- 
stones and shales of the Benton group, and that have but little 
residual material in their beds, because the character of these rocks 
is such that the erosive processes consume almost everything worn 
loose. 

Crooked Creek carries the drainage from the Meade artesian val- 
ley. From its head to Crooked L ranch, south of Meade, the bed of 
the stream is dry through much of the year, but below this point large 
springs insure a good flow. 

William Easton Hutchinson states that Cimarron River is a con- 
stantly running stream throughout the entire width of Morton 
County, where it has a valley on one side or the other of the channel 
from one-half mile to three miles in width, on which an abundant 
crop of natural hay is raised. In Stevens County there is running 
water in Cimarron River at all seasons of the year. The approach to 
the stream in this county is greater than most streams of its size 
and is not cut through a level country, for breaks and hills extend a 
considerable distance from the stream in many places. In Grant 
County the river flows constantly and has a fine fertile valley on 
each side of the channel, that is sometimes covered by floods. When 
the overflow is at all regular large quantities of natural hay are pro- 
duced in the valley. 

In the southeastern corner of Grant County Cimarron River is 
joined by its North Fork, a stream which rises in Colorado, a short 
distance west of the Colorado-Kansas State line. Having its source 
in the plains, it is not affected by melting snows as is the Cimarron. 
In Morton County, the North Fork seldom carries any water, except 
in times of flood, which occur about twice a year. In the western 
part of Morton County, North Fork passes along on the level prairie 
with a steep bank and deep, narrow channel, but in the north-central 
part runs through a considerable draw. In Grant County North 
Fork receives drainage from a large rather shallow east and west 
draw in the northern part of Stanton County. This draw can hardly 



308 QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

be called a stream, but it is connected in an indefinite way with the 
Fork. In Grant County North Fork is dry through perhaps one- 
half of its course most of the year, except in flood times. Through 
the greater part of the rest of its course, it carries running water, 
which here and there sinks beneath its bed to reappear again some 
miles farther on. 

It has long been known that considerable quantities of ground 
water exist in the valley of the Cimarron east of the Colorado- 
Kansas State line, and the possibility of utilizing this water in rather 
extensive irrigation works has been seriously considered. 

Under date of August 11, 1908, C. S. Shchter, of the United States 
Reclamation Service, made a report on the Cimarron project, Okla- 
homa, from which the following statements have been abstracted 
by Herman Stabler: 

Preliminary investigations were begun in 1906 and were continued 
in 1907. The valley in Beaver and Woodward counties in Okla- 
homa and near Englewood in Kansas was found to be the only 
valley along the Cimarron between Englewood and the Colorado- 
Kansas State line of sufficient size to warrant operations by the 
Reclamation Service. This valley contains 14,600 acres of irrigable 
land on the the south side of the river in Oklahoma and 5,000 or 
6,000 acres on the north side, mostly in Kansas. About half the 
area on the south side and 1,000 acres on the north side are now 
irrigated by means of works of unsatisfactory construction. Irriga- 
tion has been practiced in the valley for over 20 years and has been 
found profitable. 

Much water sinks into the sand east of the narrows in sec. 32, T. 6 
N., R. 28 E., Cimarron meridian. At least 40 second-feet sink in 
dry years, principally between the head of Hallock ditch and the 
mouth of Horse Creek. Borings disclose a subsurface material of 
irregular, complex deposits of sand and gravel. Five test wells 
show that in many places fine clay layers in the aquifers prevent a 
yield of pumped water sufficient for irrigation. Extensive tests 
would be required to locate the areas where wells would be successful. 

The water of Cimarron River contains from 780 to 1,800 parts per 
million of dissolved solids, chiefly common salt. Long years of actual 
use have proved that under the conditions existing in the valley this 
water is not harmful to vegetation. Sixteen partial analyses indi- 
cate that the ground water of the valley is similar in quality to that 
of the river and show that in some places the ground water contains 
more and in others less dissolved solids than the water of the river. 
The water of three of the wells carried more than 4,000 parts per 
million of dissolved solids. A single test of the water of Horse Creek 
gave 420 parts per million of dissolved solids. 



CIMARRON RIVER. 309 

The report contains three recommendations — (1) that the existing 
irrigation works be improved and extended so that the natural flow of 
the river may be utihzed more fully and with greater certainty; (2) 
that the river be gaged to determine the water supply; and (3) that 
plans for developing the ground water of the valley be suspended 
until operations of the residents shall have more fully established 
the areas where successful wells are possible. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

With the help of Col. C. D. Perry, of Claremont ranch, a daily 
sampling station was established by the United States Geological 
Survey on Cimarron River in Oklahoma, a little south of Englewood, 
Kans. Samples were collected by George Berends from November 
30, 1906, to November 30, 1907. 

The funds available for the present investigation were exhausted 
before tlie water resources of Stanton, Grant, Morton, and Stevens 
counties were investigated. These counties are very lightly popu- 
lated. There are no large cities on Cimarron River and its tribu- 
taries in Kansas, above Liberal, in the southern part of Seward 
County. 

The record of the analyses of the composite samples appears in 
Table 161. The table shows that the water of the river is at all 
times very heavily mineralized, and that the degree of mineralization 
varies a good deal from time to time. 

The table shows that, if the constituents be considered in the terms 
of their chemical equivalents,^ the sodium predominates to a marked 
degree over the calcium, which predominates over the magnesium. 
The chlorides predominate decidedly over the bicarbonates which, 
except in the analysis of June 11 to 20 and July 1 to 12, predominate 
over the sulphates. Considerable iron appears in some of the 
samples. 

The water of Cimarron River is unsuitable for use in steam boilers, 
in which it would be likely to cause foaming and corrosion; for irri- 
gation the water has long been used with satisfactory results. If 
drunk, the waters would prove laxative to those unaccustomed to it. 

The record of the turbidity of the daily samples from Cimarron 
River, Table 162, is far from continuous. Of the 263 readings, over 
20 per cent were less than 50, and over 63 per cent 100 or more. 
During the time observations were made, there occurred no period 
so long as ten days, during which the turbidity was less than 50. 
Most of the time the turbidity was considerably above 50, and from 
September 17 to November 30, the lowest turbidity reported was 
90 and the next lowest 210. The lowest turbidity, 3, was noted on 
February 14, and the highest, 15,300, on September 17. 

1 See classification of waters, pp. 20-21. 



310 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



The coefficient of fineness, Table 161, is generally high, but on 
July 1 to 12 it was 0.67, on October 23 to November 1, it was 0.66, 
November 4 to 13, it was 0.68, November 21 to 30, it was 0.68, and 
on July 13 to 22 it was only 0.44. 

Table 161. — Analyses of water from Cimarron River at Engleivood, Kans. 

[Drainage area, 6,800 square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in the chemical 
laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Date. 




1 










^ 


^ . 


"3 


0) 








•d 

1 




t^ 


a 

-a 




O 




9' 


a 


It 




It 


O 

03 

ft 
a 
m 


O 

5, 


6 








'■3v 


From— 


To— 


■3 
S 

u 


a 

CD 

p. 


.2 a 

$ 
o 




t 

l-H 


|3 


1 


is 


1 

o 


03 C- 

P3 




1 

S 

O 


o 


1906. 


1906. 






























Nov. 30 


Dec. 9 


268 


228 


0.85 


38 


1.4 


89 


30 


320 


ol4 


297 


150 


1.1 


500 


1,338 


Dec. 11 


Dec. 20 


90 


75 


.83 


33 


.6 


88 


30 


289 


al3 


327 


135 


1.4 


368 


1.080 


Dec. 21 


Dec. 30 
1907. 


78 


69 


.88 


41 


1.2 


80 


28 


123 


al4 


296 


118 


.9 


307 


928 


Dec. 31 


Jan. 9 


83 


78 


.94 


58 


2.4 


67 


30 


292 


a4.8 


309 


137 


3.5 


382 


1,120 


1907. 
































Jan. 14 


Jan. 23 


93 


94 


1.01 


57 


2.2 


83 


33 


319 


o6.2 


320 


149 


.8 


453 


1,230 


Jan. 24 


Feb. 4 


85 


135 


1.59 


35 


■ .24 


105 


46 


510 


.0 


428 


187 


2.3 


744 


1,827 


Feb. 5 


Feb. 14 


40 


98 


2.45 


42 


.24 


98 


36 


305 


.0 


422 


122 


1.6 


388 


1,380 


Feb. 15 


Feb. 24 


142 


318 


2.24 


45 


.40 


86 


29 


266 


o2.6 


357 


125 


1.8 


320 


1,031 


Feb. 25 


Mar. 6 


95 


120 


1.26 


52 


.28 


87 


31 


331 


a5.^ 


308 


165 


.7 


448 


1,246 


Mar. 7 


Mar. 16 


293 


321 


1.10 


38 


.20 


72 


26 


212 


.0 


334 


128 


.8 


256 


858 


Mar. 17 


Mar. 27 


40 


47 


1.18 


26 


1.5 


77 


22 


183 


O5.0 


351 


124 


.2 


185 


783 


Mar. 28 


Apr. 6 


111 


118 


1.06 


32 


1.4 


87 


32 


327 


.0 


351 


160 


.3 


435 


1,217 


Apr. 7 


Apr. 17 


131 


138 


1.05 


29 


2.5 


90 


28 


441 


.0 


295 


179 


1.6 


640 


1,766 


Apr. 18 


Apr. 30 


99 


96 


.97 


26 


2.0 


90 


39 


451 


.0 


285 


178 


.3 


651 


1,560 


May 1 


May 10 


247 


257 


1.04 


30 


2.0 


87 


32 


403 


.0 


292 


179 


1.9 


560 


1,423 


May 11 


May 31 


103 


190 


1.84 


28 


1.5 


84 


35 


446 


.0 


275 


181 


1-.4 


632 


1,545 


June 11 


June 20 


250 


297 


1.19 


40 


1.2 


81 


43 


520 


a5.0 


238 


196 


1.6 


744 


1,723 


June 21 


June 30 


462 


460 


.99 


41 


5 


75 


37 


378 


O7.0 


257 


1.55 


.7 


526 


1,333 


July 1 


July 12 


1,170 


788 


.67 


48 


3.5 


84 


38 


383 


olO 


225 


383 


1.3 


528 


1,392 


July 13 


July 22 


1,390 


606 


.44 


43 


3 


73 


31 


369 


ol2 


220 


158 


.5 


528 


1,308 


July 23 


Aug. 1 


785 


684 


.87 


29 


1.5 


79 


35 


332 


.0 


263 


149 


7.0 


472 


1,208 


Aug. 2 


Aug. 12 


3,680 


2,661 


.72 


40 


3 


75 


28 


235 


.0 


270 


115 


4.7 


314 


942 


Aug. 13 


Aug. 24 


1,350 


940 


.70 


40 


1.5 


90 


38 


359 


.0 


315 


151 


3.0 


500 


1,317 


Aug. 25 


Sept. 9 


240 


235 


.98 


34 


.09 


84 


40 


438 


.0 


280 


182 


1.4 


622 


1,537 


Sept. 10 


Sept. 20 


9,700 


6,743 


.70 


24 


.20 


91 


46 


411 


.0 


285 


189 


1.1 


668 


1,425 


Sept. 21 


Oct. 8 


1,920 


1,426 


.74 


39 


.36 


85 


40 


424 


O7.0 


255 


177 


2.7 


618 


1,498 


Oct. 13 


Oct. 22 


316 


220 


.70 


28 


.30 


94 


38 


389 


.0 


290 


160 


1.0 


550 


1,389 


Oct. 23 


Nov. 1 


470 


308 


.66 


39 


.25 


89 


33 


379 


.0 


289 


155 


1.3 


520 


1,373 


Nov. 4 


Nov. 13 


283 


193 


.68 


37 


.30 


95 


38 


400 


o3.0 


295 


147 


1.5 


582 


1,452 


Nov. 21 


Nov. 30 


328 


222 


.68 


33 


.16 


90 


37 


440 


,0 


292 


171 


2.5 


616 


1,503 


Mean 


811 


606 


1.03 


38 


1.4 


85 


34 


356 


.0 


308 


157 


1.7 


498 


1,324 


Per cent of anhy- 






























drous r 


esidue 








2.9 


.1 


6.4 


2.6 


26.9 


11.5 




11.9 


.1 


37.6 















a Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 

Note. — Analyses from November 30, 1906, to January 23, 1907, and from March 17, to November 13, 1907, 
by F. W. Bushong; from January 24, to March 16, and from November 21, to 30, 1907, by Archie J. Weith. 



CIMAEBON EIVER. 



311 



Table 162. — Turbidity of daily samples from Cimarron River at Englewood, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


Dec, 
1906. 


1907. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


1.. 


350 
380 
355 
330 
268 
155 
90 
100 
120 


50 
60 
70 
65 
55 
70 
140 
130 
175 


200 
70 

170 
18 
50 
45 

100 
60 

120 
5 
5 
5 
5 
3 

732 
45 

125 

110 
24 
42 
34 

200 
50 
60 
90 

120 

130 

130 


140 

105 

40 

90 

12 

95 

390 

385 

1,866 

9 

160 

6 

5 

10 

10 

85 

8 

8 

8 

8 

62 

105 

18 


155 
175 
110 
140 
140 
200 
100 
140 
40 
390 
115 
140 
160 
75 
85 
95 
100 
75 
75 
85 


140 
160 
732 
325 
140 
317 
160 
170 
170 
160 
220 
370 
125 
150 
180 
85 

""65" 
65 
85 






60 
210 




1,800 
1,650 
3,100 
2,500 
1,900 
1,200 
600 
650 


332 


2 








3 








4 










290 


5 










285 


6 










260 


7 










270 


8 










210 


9 


80" 

75 
75 
60 
75 
70 
80 
580 
1,000 
415 
200 
45 
34 
125 
115 
115 
680 
613 
1,932 
765 


295 
150 
210 
406 






310 


10 








310 


11 


190 
80 
90 
95 
95 
85 
105 
90 
78 
83 
85 
135 
105 
145 
95 
55 
37 
58 
12 
75 
19 


""ieo" 

70 
40 
70 
100 
130 
110 
65 
120 
60 
27 
8 
5 

"'55' 
210 

85 








350 


12 . . 








280 


13 






220 
250 
230 
385 
350 
350 


270 


14 










15 










16 










17 






15,300 

' '4,' 806" 

""2," 466" 
2,200 
2,050 
1,700 
1,800 
1,750 




18... 


"'"220" 
140 
190 
160 
150 
150 
125 
125 

2,800 
295 
866 
200 

5,598 


223 
270 
425 
317 
765 
900 
732 




19.. . 




20 


90 
500 
473 
412 
270 
600 

"833' 
485 
390 
550 
360 




21 


355 


22 


110 
115 


"""65" 


340 


23 


355 


24 


360 


25 


150 
7 

22 

8 

13 

12 

160 


110 
105 
100 
65 
75 
160 


290 


26 


340 


27 


370 


28.... 






295 


29 




3,100 
3,320 


285 


30 


285 


31 






















Mean 


132 


85 


98 


133 


123 


194 


357 


710 


434 


3,842 


806 


322 







Note.— May averages: May 22 to 31, 95. July averages: July 1 to 8, 1,740; July 12 to 18, 1,100. August 
averages: August 2 to 12, 3,680: August 13 to 24, 1,3.50; August 25 to September 9, 240. September aver- 
ages: September 10 to 20, 9,700. Turbidities over 50 were determined with a Jackson turbidimeter, and 
turbidities of 50 or less were determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings were 
made by Carrie M. Burlingame and Harvey G. EUedge; a few were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert 
Morrison. 

A test of the water of Bear Creek east of Ashland (assay 52, Table 
145, p. 280), indicates that the water has high permanent and low 
temporary hardness. The water of Bluff Creek (assay 53, Table 145) 
appears to be of a similar character. The courses of these two 
streams for the most part lie in the Permian, so their waters would 
naturally dissolve sulphates from the rocks of this series. 

Cavalry Creek and its tributary, Kiowa Creek, assays 55, 54, 
Table 145, at the point they were sampled derive most of their water 
from the Tertiary deposits; consequently the waters of these two 
streams have low permanent hardness, and the temporary hardness 
is also low. The fact that the chlorides are lower in the waters oi 
Kiowa and Cavalry creeks than in those of Bluff and Bear creeks 
is significant, for the waters of the Tertiary are normally low in 
chlorides, whereas those of the Permian are apt to carry them in 
considerable quantity. Analyses of Cimarron River above and below 
the salt plains, and also analyses of several Oklahoma tributaries of 
the river are given in Water-Supply Paper 148, pages 150 and 151. 



312 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Verdigris River. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Verdigris River drains an area 180 miles long and 72 miles in 
greatest widtli and comprising 8;610 square miles. The Flint Hills, 
in the northern part of its boundary, have an elevation of about 
1,600 feet. The northern boundary varies in height from 1,200 to 
1,400 feet; the eastern boundary falls from about 1,400 to 650 feet 
and the western boundary from 1,600 to 650 feet, decreasing from 
the north toward the south. The upper part of the area is com- 
paratively rough, the general fall toward the river being about 25 
feet to the mile. This portion of the basin is used for grazing pur- 
poses; the rest of the drainage area contains some of the best farm- 
ing land in the Mississippi Valley. 

I In some places the general surface is broken by mounds rising 100 
to 250 feet above the general level; such is Table Mound, 6 miles 
northwest of Independence, and the mounds near Fredonia and 
Cherrydale, Kans., and near Sequoia, Okla. 

I The river rises in the southeastern part of Chase County, Kans., 
and takes a general southeasterly course to a point a httle below 
Coffeyville, where it passes into Oklahoma and discharges into 
Arkansas River a httle above the mouth of Neosho River, in the 
northeastern part of Muskogee County. It is 290 miles long and 
falls from an elevation of 1,400 feet at its source to 700 feet at a 
point about 11 miles north of the Kansas and Oklahoma hne, a 
distance of 141 miles. From this point to the mouth (148 miles) 
it falls about 100 feet. Throughout its length the river occupies a 
well-defined channel, with banks from 10 to 40 feet in height. The 
width at ordinary stage of water at the State hne is 140 feet and 
at the mouth 250 feet. It is essentially a surface run-off stream; its 
water is muddy, its flood-flow large, summer flow small, and its 
surface fluctuations are large and rapid. Although it flows in a 
comparatively deep and weU-defined channel, its banks are subject 
to overflow during floods, on account of the sluggish flow due to 
small fall and crooked channel. The bed and banks are composed 
*of firm material that changes very little from year to year. Floods 
are common on Verdigris River. Rarely a year passes without a 
flood that causes overflow of some of the bottom lands along the 
river. There were five floods on this river from April 26 to July 10, 
1904, that reached a stage of more than 27 feet above low water at 
Independence, and two of these reached a stage of more than 41 
feet above low water. 

The estimated monthly discharge of Verdigris River at Liberty, 
Kans., from 1896 to 1903 is shown in the following table: 



VEBDIGRIS RIVER. 



313 



Table 163. — Mean monthly discharge of Verdigris River at Liberty, Kans., for period 
beginning January 1, 1896, and ending November SO, 1903. 

[Drainage area, 3,070 square miles.] 



Month. 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. Minimum. Mean, 



January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 



1,616 
21,020 
17, 800 
26, 100 
41,450 
23,018 
28.876 

7,285 
37, 000 
35, 075 
25, 430 
10,942 



9 

39 

52 

140 

90 

40 

3 

2 

2 

5 

2 

2 



412 

875 
1,450 
1,080 
4,070 
2,710 
1,420 

471 
1,620 

760 
1,000 

955 



41, 450 



2.00 



1,450 



The headwaters of the Verdigris, as well as those of its principal 
tributaries, Fall River, Elk River, and Caney River, are in the 
FHnt Hills. 

In Kansas, the entire Verdigris basin ^ lies witliin the Pennsyl- 
vanian series. The river has cut its channel through the "Gar- 
nett," lola, and ''Independence" Umestones, and has reached base 
level almost to its source. The elevation of the ''Independence" 
hmestone is but httle above the base level of the river at Inde- 
pendence, so that the river valley practically reached to the surface 
of the "Independence" hmestone, producing conditions similar to 
those that exist in Pottawatomie Valley, between Lane and Osa- 
watomie (see p. 258). The lola Hmestone protects the bluffs on both 
sides of the river from Benedict almost to Neosho, while below this 
it caps the bluffs on the west almost to Independence. The height 
of the bluffs throughout the distance gradually increases to the 
south, being about 75 feet at Benedict and nearly 200 feet near 
Neodesha. Below Neodesha the eastern bluff gently recedes from 
the river, while the western bluff, though it has receded about 6 miles 
from the river, is almost precipitous. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

The United States Geological Survey maintained a daily sampling 
station on Verdigris River at Coffey ville from December 11, 1906, to 
December 11, 1907. D. M. Blair was collector. 

A record of the analyses of composite samples is presented in 
Table 164. This table shows a calcic alkahne water that is not 
highly minerahzed and has moderate temporary and low permanent 
hardness. The magnesium and chlorides are low and in all the 
samples a httle iron is present. 



1 Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 1, pp. 212-213. 



314 



QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



The turbidity of the daily samples is recorded in Table 165. Of 
the 305 readings, nearly 50 per cent were below 50; nearly 36 per 
cent 100 or more, and somewhat more than 7 per cent were 1,000, or 
greater. The turbidity was low throughout February and from 
October 7 to November 22, except on November 4, when it was 90. 
The turbidity was high from January 9 to 29, from March 3 to 19, 
and from April 28 to June 2. The lowest turbidity, 4, occurred on 
December 28, 1906, and the liighest, 10,200, on April 1, 1907. Except 
in the samples of December 11 to 20, 1906, June 17 to 26 and Novem- 
ber 1 to 10, 1907, the coefficient of fineness. Table 164, was high, 
indicating that the sohds carried in suspension by the river are 
coarse. 

At Madison, analysis 1, Table 166, the water of Verdigris River 
has liigh temporary and permanent hardness, but farther down- 
stream, analyses 2 and 3, Table 166, both the permanent and tem- 
porary hardness are low; at Guilford, however, analysis 4, Table 166, 
both rise again. 

Tests of Verdigris River water at Independence (analyses 14, 15, 
and 16, Table 166) indicate that it is soft. 

A test of Onion Creek, which enters Verdigris River south of 
Coffey ville, is recorded in assay 10, Table 167. As the creek was in 
flood when the sample was taken, the assay probably does not show 
the normal character of the water. 



Table 164. — Analyses of water from Verdigris River at Coffeyville, Kans. 



[Drainage area 


3,250 square miles. Quantities in parts per million 


. Analyses 


made 


in th 


e chemical 






laboratories of the U 


niversity of Kansas, E. 


H. S. Bailey, director.] 






Date. 


i3 


s 

an 
1=! 


ID 

a 

o . 
.gel 

o 


O 

03 

.2 


"3* 


a 
|3 


"3 
1 


II 


d 

o 

i 

.§ 


03 


d 

i 


d 


5 
.1 

o 


> 


From— 


To- 


- 


"3 








3 


02 


5 


03 


o 

i-t 
I— I 


"3 


1 


o "" 

m 


o3 
O 


pq 


3 

02 


S 


g 


o 


1906. 


1906. 






























Dec. 11 


Dec. 


20 


40 


11 


0.28 


17 


2.0 


78 


12 


31 


0.0 


287 


32 


2.7 


22 


329 




1907. 






























Dec. 21 


Jan. 


2 


7 


6.4 


.91 


23 


.40 


95 


10.5 


31 


.0 


367 


40 


3.5 


32 


384 


1907. 


































Jan. 3 


Jan. 


12 


107 


77 


.72 


24 


1.4 


71 


4.3 


33 


9.6 


290 


44 


4.2 


38 


364 


Jan. 13 


Jan. 


22 


874 


688 


.79 


34 


1.0 


46 


1.3 


32 


.0 


164 


25 


7.9 


10 


224 


Jan. 23 


Feb. 


1 


327 


230 


.70 


22 


3.0 


79 


4.1 


29 


o9.6 


284 


33 


5.8 


15 


321 


Feb. 2 


Feb. 


11 


18 


34 


1.89 


23 


.10 


62 


16 


37 


.0 


359 


41 


2.5 


23 


291 


Feb. 12 


Feb. 


21 


13 


15 


1.15 


76 


.10 


106 


16 


41 


.0 


370 


46 


4.1 


23 


481 


Feb. 22 


Mar. 


3 


65 


64 


.98 


67 


.20 


88 


16 


44- 


.0 


294 


39 


3.0 


24 


444 


Mar. 4 


Mar. 


13 


380 


345 


.91 


33 


.36 


73 


12 


35 


.0 


248 


40 


3.2 


14 


324 


Mar. 14 


Mar. 


23 


211 


175 


.83 


16 


5.0 


79 


11 


33 


a 3.1 


265 


30 


3.0 


13 


317 


Mar. 24 


Apr. 


1 


1,877 


2,190 


1.17 


13 


2.0 


80 


7.2 


31 


.0 


288 


30 


4.0 


19 


323 


Apr. 2 


Apr. 


14 


188 


142 


.76 


16 


4.0 


69 


2.0 


25 


.0 


237 


30 


2.9 


18 


278 


Apr. 15 


Apr. 


26 


103 


100 


.97 


16 


1.8 


78 


11 ■ 


31 


.0 


315 


35 


2.8 


28 


326 


Apr. 28 


May 


7 


1,805 


2,346 


1.30 


13 


3.0 


64 


1.2 


28 


.0 


210 


36 


5.0 


25 


266 


May 8 


May 


19 


1,307 


2,296 


1.76 


18 


3.0 


70 


5.5 


28 


.0 


222 


40 


6.5 


14 


282 


May 20 


May 


31 


203 


403 


1.98 


17 


1.2 


81 


16 


27 


.0 


318 


39 


3.8 


22 


325 


June 1 


June 


16 


900 


1,010 


1.12 


22 


9 


67 


11 


18 


.0 


252 


24 


3.5 


20 


398 


June 17 


June 


26 


2,700 


1,397 


.52 


21 


1.4 


68 


12 


27 


.0 


220 


27 


7 


16 


259 


July 8 


July 


17 


165 


269 


1.63 


30 


1.5 


65 


16 


44 


a 7.0 


273 


33 


A 


19 


3Q4 



a Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 



VERDIGRIS RIVER. 



315 



Table 164. — Analyses of water from Verdigris River at Coffeyville, Kans. — Cont'd. 











i> 










W 




c 








T) 


Date. 








5 












^ 


*^ 








01 






>> 


a 


° co- 
ns 


O 




1? 
O 


a 

3 


03^ 


O 

o 




6 


O 


5 


> 










From— 


To- 


- 




ft 


•S PI 

o 


03 

.a 




a 

s 
'S 


1 


3 a 

S.3 


a 
o 






IB 
(-1 


•c 

o 


-O M 








en 


S 


o 
O 


m 


t-i 


s 


a 


O " 

m 


03 

o 


m 


3 

m 


"A 




H 


1907. 


































July 18 


.luly 


29 


68 


86 


1.48 


27 


1.5 


68 


13 


34 


0.0 


290 


33 


3.0 


19 


246 


July 30 


Aug. 


10 


60 


78 


1.30 


29 


1.3 


72 


14 


34 


.0 


268 


31 


2.0 


21 


267 


Aug. 11 


Aug. 


23 


95 


102 


1.07 


18 


.7 


73 


18 


37 





273 


32 


.5 


28 


309 


Aug. 24 


Sept. 


5 


266 


236 


.89 


20 


.05 


57 


14 


37 


.0 


210 


21 


3.5 


18 


233 


Sept. 6 


Sept. 


\n 


50 


54 


1.08 


20 


.03 


57 


13 


34 


.0 


210 


16 


3.1 


20 


235 


Sept. 16 


Sept. 


25 


42 


44 


1.05 


23 


.12 


62 


16 


33 


.0 


208 


23 


.9 


25 


250 


Sept. 26 


Oct. 


9 


35 


47 


1.34 


16 


.12 


66 


14 


33 


.0 


210 


20 


1.2 


36 


262 


Oct. 10 


Oct. 


20 


23 


27 


1.18 


23 


• 13 


67 


14 


36 


.0 


242 


27 


.6 


35 


293 


Oct. 21 


Oct. 


31 


14 


10 


.71 


19 


.14 


65 


16 


38 


.0 


238 


22 


.8 


40 


291 


Nov. 1 


Nov. 


10 


22 


14 


.64 


17 


.20 


63 


12 


32 


.0 


215 


21 


1.1 


31 


255 


Nov. 11 


Nov. 


20 


22 


17 


.77 


15 


.30 


51 


12 


33 


.0 


200 


19 


.9 


21 


226 


Nov. 21 


Dec. 


10 
ly- 


56 


55 


.98 


17 


.20 


83 


11 


34 


.0 


213 


24 


1.0 


24 


253 


Mean 


388 


405 


1.06 


24 


1.4 


71 


11 


33 


.0 


261 


31 


3.2 


23 


302 


Per cent of anl 






























drous residue 










7.4 


.6 


21.8 


3.4 


10.1 


39.2 




9.5 


1.0 


7.0 





Note.— Analyses from December 11, 1906, to February 1, 1907, and from March 14 to November 20, 1907, 
by F. W, Bushong; from February 2 to March 13 and from November 21 to December 10, 1907, by Archie 
J. Weith. 



Table 1Q5.— Turbidity of daily samples from Verdigris River at Coffeyville, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H, S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


Dec., 
1906. 


1907. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1 




7 
7 
5 

15 

11 

13 

10 

9 

330 

340 

190 

150 

240 

243 

75 

270 

1,200 

886 

425 

1,732 

1,866 

1,800 

1,264 

632 

520 

290 

200 

100 

120 

65 

45 


36 

36 

20 

20 

20 

50 

8 

6 

6 

7 

3 

8 

15 

11 

7 

18 
18 
10 
36 
5 
5 
10 
18 
10 
10 
12 
12 
11 


15 

21 

632 

765 

666 

662 

418 

200 

170 

150 

125 

140 

600 

632 

412 

317 

200 

180 

105 

76 

75 

65 

45 

28 

18 

18 

40 

800 

40 

150 

5,598 


10,200 
650 
426 
350 

""'ieo' 

75 
105 
55 
105 
55 
14 
80 
26 
85 
65 
55 
36 

55' 

385 
150 

"""iis" 

65 


1,992 

2,472 

1,500 

473 

1,770 

1,410 

4,850 

1,732 

400 

966 


56 
210 
16 
27 
7 
15 




30 
40 
25 


100 
150 
146 
140 
24 


50 
80 

""76' 


10 
15 
12 
90 
16 
12 
12 
10 
16 
24 
24 
24 
70 
18 
16 
12 
15 
12 
18 
15 
16 
32 
18 
200 
165 
70 


180 


2 




18 


3 




120 


4 






5 






55 
368 


45 


6 




40 


7 






24 
15 
36 
18 


36 


8 




33 
3,372 


90 

120 

86 

666 

302 

56 

24 

60 

36 

115 

15 

16 

28 

66 

150 

10 

120 


14 

14 

16 

47 

50 

48 

16 

13 

13 

130 

130 

22 

60 

18 

90 

312 

280 

520 

1,200 

235 

135 

""i45" 
120 






9 






10 




50 


11. 


50 
50 
45 
40 
32 
14 
10 

9 

12 
10 

8 
10 

6 

5 
10 




12 


610 
562 

"5,' 460' 
2,640 
332 
326 
200 
210 
130 
300 
300 
160 
308 
200 


6,380 

"456' 
90 
100 


"io" 

15 
60 
80 
45 
12 
90 
15 
60 
36 
36 
10 
10 
8 


60 
24 
16 
15 
12 
30 
18 
24 
12 
15 
15 
16 
12 
15 
12 
10 
12 
12 
10 
24 




13 




14 




15 




16 




17 




18 




19 




20 




21 




22 




23 ... 




24 




25 




20 




65 
62 




27 


5 
4 
5 
9 

7 




28 


220 

966 

2,400 


210 




24 




29 




60 
36 
30 




30 


60 
160 




24 




31 










Mean. . . 


17 


421 


15 


424 


675 


1,095 


896 


100 


148 


56 


24 


35 


70 



Note. — Averages: June 17 to 26, 2,700; September 6 to 15, 50. Turbidities of over 50 were determined 
with a Jackson turbidimeter and turbidities of ,50 or less were determined by comparison with sUica 
standards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie M, Burlingame and Harvey G. EUedge; a few 
were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 



316 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



•spnos ib;ox 



CO ■ .(N CO 



CO 'M .(N CD 



Oi(M (M 



■oiweS 
-10 pnu eni'BiOA 



(N • "-H a> 



t-f <t^ • '^ CO 



•(10) snuomo 



00 O 05 O C^ C3^ <-H O <M i-H (M T-( CO »0 to 00 ^ CO >0 t^ Oi CO -^ (M CO -^ 05 



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VERDIGRIS RIVER. 

Table 167 .—Assays of water of tributaries of Verdigris River in Kansas. 
[Parts per million.] 



317 









Iron 
(Fe). 


Car- 


Bicar- 


Sul- 


Chlo- 




No. 


Date. 


Stream and place. 


bonate 


bonate 


phate 


rine 


Remarks. 








(CO3). 


(HCO3). 


(SO4). 


(CI). 






-1907. 
















1 


May 13 


Fall River, 500 feet above 
sewer outfall at Eureka. 


0.0 


0.0 


302 


Trace. 


10 




2 


May 2 


Salt Creek, at Atchison, 
Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. 
bridge, Fredonia. 


.0 


.0 


89 


50 


55 


Heavy rain on 
April 29. 


3 


...do 


Fall River, east of Atchi- 

. son, Topeka & Santa Fe 

Ry. bridge, Fredonia. 


.0 


.0 


151 


38 


20 


Do. 


4 


May 6 


Fall River, at water works 
intake, Neodesha. 


.0 


.0 


140 


37 


14 


River in high stage. 


5 


May 14 


Elk Riven at highway 
bridge, Howard. 


.0 


.0 


186 


Trace. 


10 


Do. 


















6 


...do 


Mound Creek, at Atchison, 
Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. 
Bridge 78, south of How- 
ard. 

Elk River, 300 yards above 


.0 


.0 


117 


42 


14 


Creek in high stage. 


7 


May 3 


.0 


.0 


129 


50 


10 


Rain on night of 






mouth of Duck Creek, 
Elk. 
Duck Creek, at Main Street 












May 2. 


8 


...do 


.0 


.0 


102 


46 


14 


Do. 






Bridge, Elk. 














9 


May 4 


Elk River, at Sycamore 
Road Bridge, Independ- 
ence. 

Onion Creekjpear Missouri 
Pacific Ry. bridge, 


.0 


.0 


138 


Trace. 


10 




10 


May 6 


.0 


.0 


30 


Trace. 


20 


Creek in high stage. 






















Dearing. 














11 


May 10 


Caney River, at the old 
dairy, Cedai-vale. 


.0 


12.0 


256 


Trace. 


10 




12 


...do 


Cedar Creek, Cedarvale 


.0 


.0 


288 


Trace. 


10 




13 


May 9 


Deer Creek, at dam north 
of Missouri Pacific Ry., 
Sedan. 


.0 


.0 


240 


Trace. 


10 


Creek in high stage 
and hea vi ly 
streaked with 
oil. 


14 


...do. ... 


Caney Creek, 350 feetabove 
water works intake, 
Sedan. 


.0 


.0 


227 


Trace. 


14 


Creek in high stage. 


15 


May 7 


Caney Creek, at Missouri 
Pacific Ry. bridge, west 
of Peru. 


.0 


.0 


153 


Trace. 


24 


Creek in high stage 
and streaked 
with oil. 


16 


...do 


North Caney Creek, at Mis- 
souri Pacific Ry. bridge, 
northeast of Peru Junc- 
tion. 


.0 


.0 


139 


Trace. 


10 


Do. 


17 


...do 


Caney Creek, 100 feet north 
of Missouri Pacific Ry. 
bridge, Caney. 


.0 


.0 


133 


Trace. 


34 


Do. 


18 


...do..... 


Cheyenne Creek, at Mis- 
souri Pacific Ry. bridge 
east of new waterworks, 
Caney. 


.0 


.0 


35 


Trace. 


14 


Creek in high stage. 



Note. — Trace in the sulphate coluriin means less than 35 parts per million. 

FALL RIVER. 
DESCRIPTION,. 

Fall Kiver rises in the Flint Hills of Butler County, is 96 miles 
long, and has a fall of from, 1,500 to 750 feet in a distance of 43 miles. 
Its drainage area is 848 square miles. As its basin is characterized 
by steep impervious slopes the run-off is rapid, and the stream is 
flashy. On the evening of April 23, 1904, the gage at Fall Kiver 
read 4 feet; the next morning it read 26.3 feet, a rise of 24.3 feet in 
10 hours. On the evening of June 15 the gage read 7.8; the next 
morning it read 37.8 feet, a rise of 30 feet in 10 hours. There were 



318 QUALITY OP THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

six floods on this river from, April 23 to July 8, 1904, in which the 
gage read above 22 feet, and four when it read above 25 feet.^ 

The width of the river near its mouth at ordinary low water is 74 
feet. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

The United States Geological vSurvey maintained a daily sampling 
station on Fall Kiver at Neodesha from, July 1, 1907, to May 25, 1908. 
The collector was J. J. Carrol. 

A record of the analyses of composite samples appears in Table 
168. The table shows a calcic alkaline water of moderate tempo- 
rary and low permanent hardness similar to that of Verdigris River. 
Below the sampling point at Neodesha, Fall River receives certain 
wastes of the Standard Oil Co.'s refinery. 

The record of the daily turbidity of Fall River at Fall River, from 
August 1, 1904, to July 31, 1905, is given in Table 169. The readings 
show that about 45 per cent of the time the turbidity was less than 
50. A long period of low turbidity extended from October 31, 1904, 
to March 16, 1905, and a long period of high turbidity extended from 
May 13 to July 17, 1905. The lowest observed turbidity, 22, was 
recorded many times during the year, and the highest, 9,000, on July 
3, 1905. A very incomplete record of the turbidity of the daily 
samples from the river at Neodesha appears in Table 170. The 
coefficient of fineness. Table 168, is high, except in the samples of 
March 10 to 20 and May 25 to June 10, indicating that the matter 
carried in suspension by the river is coarse. 

Tests of Fall River at difi^erent times and places (assays 1,3, and 4, 
Table 167, and analyses 6, 7, and 8, Table 166) show that the chlo- 
rides are low, the temporary hardness moderate, and that the perma- 
nent hardness, though variable, is usually low. The water of Salt 
Creek, a small tributary which joins the river at Fredonia, is shown by 
assay 2, Table 167, to be somewhat higher in sulphates and chlorides 
than the main stream. 

1 Murphy, E. C, Floods in the United States in 1904: Water-Supply Paper No. 147, U. S. Geol. Survey 
p. 105. 



VEEDIGEIS RIVER. 



319 



Table 168. — Analyses of water from Fall River at Neodesha, Kans. 

[Drainage area, 848 square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in the chemical labora- 
tories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Date. 

















03 . 




+5 








'§ 






_^ 


s 










M 

^ 


03 1? 


d 



03 

28 


d 


d 





CO 






1) 

> 


From— 


To— 


"'2 

3 


s 

M 

3 


.2 '-' 

% 



i3 




"3 


a 




03 

a 



1^ 

03 ^^ 



1 

ft 
•3 


11 
1 

4J 


a 

3 









En 


M 





CQ 


A 





S 


CO 





pq 


CQ 


i? 





fH 


1907. 


1907. 






























July 1 


July 12 


93 


80 


0.86 


33 


6 


71 


19 


25 


0.0 


240 


25 


3.8 


9 


244 


July 13 


July 27 


15 


26 


1.73 


28 


1.6 


62 


18 


28 


.0 


300 


30 


3.0 


15 


269 


July 28 


Aug. 8 


13 


30 


2.31 


22 


.7 


64 


22 


28 


.0 


292 


27 


1.1 


14 


286 


Aug. 9 


Aug. 18 


10 


19 


1.90 


34 


.30 


59 


17 


27 


.0 


285 


24 


1.2 


17 


271 


Aug. 20 


Aug. 31 


684 


487 


.71 


16 


.24 


51 


12 


24 


.0 


180 


18 


2.0 


10 


195 


Sept. 1 


Sept. 11 


85 


84 


.99 


23 


.22 


48 


8.8 


24 


.0 


165 


14 


2.5 


8.5 


194 


Sept. 12 


Sept. 23 


45 


40 


.89 


17 


.04 


60 


9.9 


24 


.0 


182 


15 


.5 


10 


190 


Sept. 24 


Oct. 26 


20 


22 


1.10 


19 


.12 


64 


11 


25 


.0 


215 


16 


.9 


12 


424 


Oct. 27 


Nov. 8 


16 


14 


.88 


23 


.08 


61 


17 


29 


.0 


265 


17 


.8 


17 


253 


Nov. 9 


Dec. 13 


11 


10 


.91 


18 


.12 


74 


17 


32 


.0 


290 


21 


.6 


25 


304 


Dec. 14 


Dec. 24 


95 


76 


.80 


23 


.30 


75 


14 


33 


.0 


270 


29 


1.5 


14 


283 


1908. 


1908. 






























Jan. 16 


Jan. 28 


50 


43 


.86 


35 


.16 


81 


15 


34 


.0 


290 


41 


2.2 


14 


340 


Jan. 29 


Feb. 14 


36 


35 


.97 


33 


.12 


85 


16 


36 


.0 


312 


41 


2.0 


14 


357 


Feb. 15 


Feb. 17 
Mar. 20 


18 
SO 
















.0 
.0 


276 
270 






14 
11 




Mar. 10 


"'32' 


".'64' 


"26' 


".'is' 


"'79' 


is'" 


'"33" 


'"62" 


"z.b 


'322 


Mar. 21 


Mar. 31 


16 


20 


1.25 


21 


.12 


73 


16 


40 


.0 


300 


42 


2.5 


13 


303 


Apr. 5 


Apr. 14 


180 


118 


.66 


28 


.14 


68 


11 


31 


118.9 


211 


32 


3.1 


10 


279 


Apr. 15 


Apr. 24 


295 


247 


.84 


39 


.20 


63 


n 


32 


al6 


177 


34 


3.7 


13 


282 


Apr. 25 


May 5 


70 


62 


.88 


28 


.06 


79 


14 


36 


.0 


200 


34 


1.0 


10 


344 


May 5 


May 14 


50 


79 


1.58 


41 


.20 


55 


14 


35 


.0 


228 


34 


.5 


9.9 


283 


May 15 


May 24 


824 


627 


.76. 


48 


1.40 


55 


12 


34 


.0 


241 


27 


2.8 


7.6 


282 


May 25 


June 106 
an 

of anhy- 


2,100 


802 


.38 


31 


.14 


69 


11 


28 


a8.8 


69 


26 


.5 


9.3 


283 


Me 


217 


141 


1.04 


28 


.59 


66 


14 


30 


.0 


242 


29 


1.9 


13 


285 


Per cent 






























drousr 


esidue 








9.3 


.3 


21.9 


4.6 


10.0 


39.4 




9.6 


.6 


4.3 

















a. Abnormal, computed as HCO3 in the average. 



6 About June 10; 13 samples. 



Note. — Analyses from July 1, 1907, to February 17, 1908, by F. W. Bushong; from March 10 to June 10, 
1908, by Archie J. Weith. 



320 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 



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VERDIGRIS RIVER. 



321 



Table 170. — Turbidity of Fall River at Neodesha, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


1907. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1 


430 
80 

100 
70 
60 


14 
3 

4 


120 
80 




10 
18 
18 




2 




3 . . 






4 








5 


18 






12 
10 
10 
10 

10 
12 




6 






15 


7 


48 
50 
48 
24 


15 

20 

9 

9 

13 
10 
13 
7 
5 
10 
10 
8 




36 
18 
32 


15 


8 




12 


9 


10 


10 




10 


11 




32 
18 


12 


12 . 


22 
18 
22 
10. 
26 
16 
18 
24 
22 




8 


13 






10 


14 








10 


15 




18 




16 


16 . . 






10 


17 




15 




5 


18 . 








19 








8 


20 : 


12 

15 

15 

3,792 

833 

1,000 

500 

765 

370 

280 

260 

385 








10 


21 








8 


22 










310 


23 . .. . 










290 


24 




24 
12 
12 






280 


25 . 




15 
15 
12 
24 

24 






26 


6 
6 

10 
22 
10 
14 






27 






28 








29 








30 . . 


16 






31 



















Mean 


48 


300 


■44 


22 


12 


58 



Note.— September, 1907, averages: 1 to 11, 85; 12 to 23, 45. January, 1908, average: 16 to 28, 50. March, 
1908, averages: 10 to 20, 50; 21 to 31, 16. April, 1908, averages: 5 to 14, 380; 15 to 24, 295; 25 to May 4, 70. 
May, 1908, averages: 5 to 14, 50; 15 to 24, 824. Turbidities of over 50 were determined with a Jackson tur- 
bidimeter and turbidities of 50 or less were determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the 
readings were made by Carrie M. Burlingame and Harvey G. Elledge; a few were made by Helen Heald 
and Adelbert Morrison. 



ELK RIVER. 



DESCRIPTIOISr. 



Elk River is formed, by the union of Ham and Clear creeks south 
of Western Park, in the northwestern part of Elk County, whence it 
flows southeasterly and. empties into Verdigris Eiver about 2^ miles 
north of Independence. Its drainage area comprises 687 square 
miles. The river is 70 miles long, and near its mouth at ordinary 
low water 75 feet wide. It falls from an elevation of 1,500 feet to 
750 feet in a distance of 43 miles. Its discharge is smaller and its 
flow less steady than that of Fall River, resembling the main stream 
in this respect. 

QTTALITY OF WATER. 

Tests of the water of Elk River and its tributaries, assays 4 to 9, 
Table 167, and analyses 9 to 13, Table 166 (p. 316), indicate that all 
of the waters have little temporary and most of them slight perma- 
nent hardness. 



77836°— wsP 273—11- 



-21 



322 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

CANEY RIVER. 
DESCRIPTION. 

Caney River rises in the Flint Hills in the southwest corner of 
Union Center Township, north of Greenola, near the western bound- 
ary of Elk County, and flows southward to Cedarvale in Chautauqua 
County, where it turns and flows southeastward, passing into the 
Osage Nation, Okla., at a point west of Elgin, Kans. It then flows 
southward, emptying into Verdigris River in Rogers County, Okla. 
The principal tributary of Caney River is Caney Creek, wliich rises 
in Greenfield Township, Elk County, Kans., and takes a general 
southeasterly course to its point of junction with Caney River in 
Washington County, Okla. 

The local names of Caney River and its tributaries seem to be 
somewhat confused. The name Big Caney Creek is applied to a 
stream heading in Union Center Township, Elk County, Kans., flow- 
ing south to Cedarvale, thence southeastward into Washington 
County, Okla., where it unites with Little Caney Creek. The result- 
ing stream, wliich is called Little Verdigris River, flows southward into 
Rogers County, Okla., and unites with Verdigris River. Little Caney 
Creek is formed by the confluence of North Caney Creek and Middle 
Caney Creek in Washington Township, Chautauqua County, Kans. 

In Kansas Caney River and its tributaries drain Chautauqua 
County, the southern part of Elk County, and the western part of 
Montgomery County. The basin of Caney River in Kansas lies in an 
important oil region, and most of the tributaries of tlie stream are 
heavily streaked with oil. 

The entire drainage basin of Caney River ^ contains 2,440 square 
miles. The river is 140 miles long, and falls from an elevation of 
1,500 feet at its source to 750 feet near the Kansas-Oklahoma State 
line, a distance of 48 miles. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

Tests of the water of Caney River and its tributaries m Kansas 
are recorded in assays 11 to 18, Table 167, and analyses 19 to 27, 
Table 166. Most of the creeks tested by water assays were in high 
stage at the time they were sampled. Both the analyses and assays 
indicate waters of moderate temporary and low permanent hardness. 

Neosho River. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Neosho River rises west of Parkerville in Morris County, Kans., and 
flows southeastward across Lyon, Coffey, Woodson, Allen, Neosho, 
Labette, and Cherokee counties. Entering Oklahoma at a point 

1 Miirpliy, E. C, Destraetive floods in the United States: Water-Supply Paper U. S. Geo!. Survey 
No. 147, 1904, p. 95. 



NEOSHO KIVEE. 323 

south of Melrose, it forms for a short distance the boundary between 
Craig and Ottawa counties, Okla., thence flows southeastward across 
Ottawa County to a point a little northwest of Wyandotte, where it 
turns and takes a general southwesterly course to its junction with 
Arkansas River at a point a little below the mouth of Verdigris River 
and west of Fort Gibson. 

Its drainage basin, lying entirely within the humid belt, extends east 
and west from central Kansas to western Missouri about 200 miles and 
north and south about the same distance; its total drainage area com- 
prises 12,660 square miles. To the north and east are the basins of 
Kansas and Osage rivers; to the south and west is the Verdigris. 
Measured by direct course, the length of the river is about 250 miles, 
but as it is a very crooked stream the distance along the bed is much 
greater. Within a distance of 136 miles the river falls from an 
elevation of approximately 1,500 feet above sea level near its source 
to 800 feet at a point about 27 miles north of the Kansas-Oklahoma 
line; and from this point to the mouth, a distance of 110 miles in a 
straight line, it falls about 300 feet. 

A comparison of the Neosho with the Verdigris discloses some 
interesting features. Neosho River rises about 40 miles farther north 
and at an elevation about 100 feet greater. The streams flow in 
nearly parallel directions and empty into Arkansas River only a few 
hundred feet apart. The Verdigris falls more rapidly in its upper 
course than the Neosho, reaching the Kansas-Oklahoma State line 
at an elevation of 680 feet and falling 720 feet in about 151 miles; the 
Neosho falls more gradually, reaching the Kansas-Oklahoma State 
line at an elevation of about 770 feet, fallmg 730 feet in about 267 
miles. From the Kansas-Oklahoma State line the Neosho falls about 
270 feet and the Verdigris about 180. As a result of these differences 
in the topography of the basins, the Verdigris flows in a narrow, 
deep channel, while the Neosho is wider, has lower banks, and is 
subject to overflow in many places, notably near Chanute, Kans. 
Near the mouth the differences are more marked; the Verdigris is 
deeper, is 250 feet wide, and is sluggish, with scarcely a perceptible 
current at ordinary stage of water; the Neosho is from 600 to 800 feet 
wide, is shallow, and has a fairly rapid velocity. 

The principal tributaries of the Neosho are Cottonwood River, 
which enters it from the west near Emporia, and Spring River, which 
enters it from Kansas in Ottawa County, Okla. 

The area of land flooded along Neosho River is large compared with 
the size of the stream, and the same statement holds good of all the 
streams in southeastern Kansas. They have little fall and are very 
crooked, and the water, instead of running off quickly, is held back, 
overflows the banks, and spreads out over the river bottom to a width 
in places of 4 to 5 miles. The average fall of the stream from Emporia 
to the mouth is less than 2 feet per mile, and there are stretches 20 
miles long, where the fall is only 1.7 feet per mile. In parts of its 



324 



QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



course the river is so crooked that 20 miles measured along the chan- 
nel is less than half that distance in a direct course. These numerous 
bends, together with the trees that in places grow thickly to the 
water's edge, reduce the already small slope of the stream so much that 
its effective value is probably not more than 1| feet per mile. The 
upper part of the watershed is hilly pasture land, from which the 
water flows rapidly. The central and lower part is rolling, cultivated 
land. There are no forests on the watershed, but narrow strips of 
trees are found along the greater part of the stream.. The drainage 
area of Neosho River at Oswego is 5,230 square miles. 

The estimated monthly discharge of Neosho River at lola is given 
in the following table: 

Table 171. — Mean monthly discharge of Neosho River at lola, Kans., for period 
January 1, 1896, to November 30, 1903, inclusive. 

[Drainage area, 3,670 square miles.] 



Month. 



January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

The period 



Discharge in second-feet. 



Maximum. Minimum. Mean, 



8,490 
12,290 
19,250 
45,560 
39, 120 
21,365 
24,550 
18,500 
20, 150 
30,411 
16,077 



45,560 



1 
1 

20 

50 

160 

75 

87 

10 

1 



1 
1 



332 

■ 738 
1,280 
2,190 
5,060 
4,400 
1,200 
1,730 
1,170 
1,150 
1,200 
731 



1,770 



With the exception of Cottonwood River and the headwaters of a 
few tributary streams, the entire basin of the Neosho in Kansas lies 
within the Pennsylvanian. 

The topographic features along Neosho River are interesting. 
Where the stream flows nearly at right angles to the line of outcrops 
of the different formations, the bluffs on both sides are about equal 
in height, but as it changes its relative direction, the south bluffs are 
in places less pronounced than those on the north. This difference 
in character of the bluffs results from the fact that the different lime- 
stone formations rise gradually toward the south, while toward the 
north the upturned edges of the same formations are eroded in such 
a way as to produce more nearly vertical walls. Farther down- 
stream, where the river breaks through the Fort Scott ("Oswego") 
limestone, the east bluff line, which is in the Cherokee shale, has 
become a gentle slope, receding 4 or 5- miles from the river; and on 
the west the protective influence of the Fort Scott limestone is seen 
in the bluff at Oswego, which in places rises almost vertically to a 
height of 150 feet.^ 



1 Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 1, pp. 211-212, 



NEOSHO RIVER. 325 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

The United States Geological Survey maintained two daily sampling 
stations on Neosho River. The first was established at Emporia, 
with the help of Alva J. Smith, city engineer, and was continued 
from December 6, 1906, to December 3, 1907; Frank Bacon was col- 
lector. The second station was maintained at Oswego from Decem- 
ber 11, 1906, to December 9, 1907; Nehe Nafus was collector. 

The results of the analyses of the composite samples collected at 
Emporia appear in Table 172, The table shows a calcic alkaline 
water. The magnesium is low and some iron is present in all of the 
samples. The chlorides are low. The temporary hardness is usually 
moderate but fluctuates a good deal. The permanent hardness 
is low. 

The daily turbidity of the Neosho at Emporia from August 1, 1904, 
to July 31, 1905, as determined by measurements made with a 
United States Geological Survey turbidity rod, is recorded in Table 
173. Nearly 74 per cent of the time the turbidity was less than 50. 
A period of low turbidity extended from August 1, 1904, to January 
22, 1905, and there were other periods of low turbidity extending 
over about 20 days each. No period of high turbidity lasted over 
15 days. The lowest turbidity, 7, was recorded for a long period in 
February, and the highest turbidity, 3,000, was recorded daily from 
June 30 to July 4, 1905. The turbidity of the daily samples collected 
at Emporia in 1906-7 is recorded in Table 174. Of the 356 readings, 
over 64 per cent were less than 50 and over 15 per cent were 100 or 
over. From December 5, 1906, to January 19, 1907, from March 16 
to June 7, 1907, from August 6 to October 3, 1907, and from October 
18 to December 5, 1907, were long periods of low turbidity. There 
was no period of high turbidity 15 days in length. The lowest tur- 
bidity, 2, was recorded on February 5, 1907, and the highest, 6,000, 
on June 8, 1907. The coefficient of fmeness, Table 172, was usually 
high, but nine times fell below 0.65, from which it may be concluded 
that, though the matter carried in suspension by the river at Emporia 
is usually coarse, there are times when the use of a coagulant to 
clarify the water would be advisable in filtration practice. 

The results of the analyses of the composites of samples taken at 
Oswego are recorded in Table 175. The table shows that the water 
of the river here is not highly mineralized and that as a rule the 
amount of mineral matter held in solution varies directly with the 
gage height, rising and falling with it. 

The water belongs to the calcic alkaline class and is less satisfactory 
in character than is that of the river at Emporia. The calcium, 
bicarbonates, and sulphates fluctuate more, and the sulphates are 
high enough in all of the samples to make treatment to remove them 



326 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

advisable when the water is to be used in steam boilers, whereas in the 
water of the Neosho at Emjooria this is not necessary. At the two 
cities the iron content of the river water is about the same and so is 
the magnesium. The chlorides in the river water were about the 
same at the two stations. The change in the character of Neosho 
River water at Oswego is chiefly effected by the water of Cotton- 
wood River, which enters the Neosho below Emporia and carries 
more sulphates than does any other considerable tributary of the 
Neosho. It also carries more magnesium than does the Neosho at 
either sampling station. 

The daily turbidity of Neosho River at Oswego from June, 1904, 
to July, 1905, as determined with the United States Geological Sur- 
vey turbidity rod, is shown in Table 176. About 38 per cent of the 
time the turbidity of the river was less than 50 and nearly 53 per 
cent of the time it was 100 or more. Long periods of high turbidity 
extended from June 1 to July 31, 1904, August 18 to 30, 1904, Febru- 
ary 25 to April 22, 1905, May 11 to 23, 1905, and May 29 to July 24, 
1905. Long periods of low turbidity extended from August 31 to 
September 22, 1904, September 25, 1904, to January 13, 1905, and 
February 11 to 24, 1905. 

The turbidity of the daily samples taken at Oswego from December 
11, 1906, to December 9, 1907, is shown by Table 177. Of 270 
determinations, nearly 49 per cent were less than 50 and about 36 
per cent were 100 or greater. Long periods of high turbidity extended 
from January 15 to February 3, 1907, March 3 to April 6, 1907, and 
April 30 to May 12, 1907. Long periods of low turbidity extended 
from December 11, 1906, to January 9, 1907, February 4 to 16, 1907, 
April 7 to 29, 1907, September 1 to November 3, 1907, and Novem- 
ber 5 to 22, 1907. The lowest turbidity, 2, is recorded on December 
19, 1906, and the liighest, 2,100, on March 15, 1907. The coefficient 
of fineness. Table 175, was less than 0.65 only three times, and only 
eight times was less than 0.75, indicating that the suspended matter 
ordinarily is coarse. 

A number of tests of the water carried by tributaries of the Neosho 
River, and at different points from Council Grove to Chetopa are 
recorded in Tables 178 and 179. Though these tributaries and that 
part of Neosho River that is above Council Grove flow mostly in the 
Permian deposits, their waters are neither highly minerahzed nor 
liigh in sulphates, as is sho-wn by assays' 1 to 5, Table 178, and analysis 
1, Table 179. Indeed, these results, together with assays 6 to 9, 
Table 178, and analyses 2 to 3, Table 179, indicate that from its 
source to the mouth of Cottonwood River the waters of Neosho 
River and its tributaries are soft, and this presage is confirmed by 
the analyses of composite samples of the river at Emporia. 



NEOSPIO KIVEB. 



327 



The results of tests of the water of the Neosho River and its tribu- 
taries at different points between Burhngton and Chetopa are recorded 
in assays 25 to 69, Table 178. In this distance the main stream and 
its branches lie practically wholly within rocks of the Pennsylvanian 
series and the waters of all have low permanent and moderate or low 
temporary hardness, except that Elm Creek (assays 34 and 35, Table 
178) and Cherry Creek (assays 57 and 58, Table 178) are unlike the 
others. The reason for the high sulphates and low bicarbonates in 
assay 35 and the rather high sulphates in assay 36 was not investi- 
gated, but the low bicarbonates and high sulphates in the water of 
Cherry Creek (assay 58, Table 178) 'are due to the pollution of a 
tributary of Cherry Creek (assay 57) with mine water at Scammon. 
More detailed tests of the water of Neosho River at different places 
between Neosho Rapids and Chanute are recorded in analyses 15 to 
20, Table 179. The sample at Neosho Rapids shows rather high car- 
bonates and sulphates, but the other samples indicate waters of 
moderate temporary and low permanent hardness. 

Table 172. — Analyses of water from Neosho River at Em-poria, Kans. 

[Drainage area, 740 (estimated) square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in the 
chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 













, 










A 




a> 








T3 


Date. 




>> 




1 
o 


d 




1 


1 




d 
o 

ID 


03 

^8 


d 

cc 


d 
5, 


o 


> 








M 


From— 


To- 


- 


'3 
13 


a 


.2 ^ 

i 






1 


§ 
fclO 


it 


c3 
% 




c3 
ft 




a 
o 


4^ 








3 


B 
m 


o 
o 


3 

CO 


o 


O 




o 
m 


o 


« 


3 
02 


iS 


2 
o 


o 


1906. 


1906. 






























Dec. 5 


Dec. 


14 


40 


28 


0.70 


21 


1.4 


79 


13 


25 


0.0 


324 


27 


0.3 


12 


315 


Dec. 15 


Dec. 


24 


14 


14 


1.00 


17 


.30 


86 


13 


35 


.0 


344 


23 


. 2 


12 


317 




1907. 






























Dec. 25 


Jan. 


4 


14 


8 


.57 


2S 


1.4 


88 


12 


22 


all 


326 


31 


4.0 


10 


332 


1907. 


































Jan. 5 


Jan. 


14 


9.5 


6.S 


.72 


IS 


1.6 


67 


U 


32 


.0 


356 


27 


2.6 


14 


262 


Jan. 15 


Jan. 


24 


700 


540 


.77 


43 


3.6 


62 


4.8 


29 


.0 


259 


31 


4.4 


6.8 


278 


Jan. 25 


Feb. 


4 


20 


19 


.95 


39 


1.2 


82 


8.5 


33 


oG. 7 


304 


36 


5.3 


6.3 


346 


Feb. 5 


Feb. 


14 


273 


198 


,72 


21 


.40 


64 


12 


25 


.0 


245 


36 


5.9 


6.1 


284 


Feb. 15 


Feb. 


24 


65 


47 


.72 


41 


.24 


70 


8.4 


19 


.0 


244 


27 


4.6 


5.5 


300 


Feb. 25 


Mar. 


6 


907 


757 


.83 


57 


.68 


64 


9.0 


28 


.0 


226 


25 


4.9 


4.5 


319 


Mar. 7 


Mar. 


16 


870 


725 


.83 


16 


.20 


04 


11 


38 


.0 


213 


44 


4.8 


4.2 


238 


Mar. 17 


Mar. 


26 


37 


22 


.59 


19 


1.2 


99 


16 


24 


.0 


347 


30 


4.8 


5.4 


350 


Mar. 27 


Apr. 


5 


47 


33- 


.70 


6.0 


.50 


76 


11 


24 


.0 


287 


33 


1.4 


4.8 


283 


Apr. 6 


Apr. 


15 


52 


39 


.75 


3.6 


2.5 


72 


7.5 


24 


.0 


290 


34 


1.5 


8.2 


270 


Apr. 16 


Apr. 


26 


31 


17 


.55 


3.8 


3.5 


09 


17 


22 


.0 


289 


35 


2.3 


9 


285 


Apr. 27 


May 


6 


40 


19 


.48 


7.6 


1.4 


78 


20 


26 


.0 


297 


36 


1.5 


11 ■ 


291 


May 7 


May 


16 


35 


25 


.71 


16 


1.2 


75 




22 


.0 


310 


37 


1.7 


9 


295 


May 17 


May 


26 


45 


33 


.73 


16 


1.4 


74 


"\h"' 


28 


.0 


295 


32 


3.1 


9 


296 


May 27 


June 


6 


50 


28 


.56 


20 


1.2 


84 


14 


25 


.0 


300 


32 


4.5 


9 


322 


June 7 


June 


16 


1,075 


734 


.68 


32 


10 


55 


12 


22 


.0 


220 


23 


10 


7 


259 


June 17 


June 


26 


660 


523 


.79 


24 


5 


56 


15 


23 


o7. 


230 


24 


8.0 


6.5 


266 


June 27 


July 


7 


610 


410 


,07 


29 


6 


46 


13 


28 


.0 


187 


16 


7.5 


5.0 


246 


Julv 8 


Julv 


17 


63 


50 


.79 


30 


2.5 


74 


14 


27 


.0 


268 


25 


6.5 


7.0 


272 


July 18 


July 


27 


23 


33 


1 44 


32 


2 


70 


16 


23 


.0 


263 


24 


3.8 


7.0 


287 


July 28 


Aug. 


6 


340 


234 


.68 


42 


10 


49 


13 


24 


.0 


175 


21 


3.5 


6.0 


240 


Aug. 7 


Aug. 


16 


53 


38 


.72 


19 


1.0 


56 


9.2 


23 


.0 


169 


18 


4.8 


5.0 


184 


Aug. 17 


Aug. 


26 


46 


24 


.52 


24 ■ 


.7 


49 


12 


26 


o8. 


212 


19 


2.0 


4.0 


228 


Aug. 27 


Sept. 


6 


40 


24 


.60 


26 


.14 


61 


14 


23 


.0 


220 


24 


1.8 


5.0 


230 


Sept. 7 


Sept. 


18 


21 


19 


.90 


24 


.03 


58 


13 


25 


.0 


220 


24 


1.0 


7.2 


235 



a Abnormal; computed as IICO3 in the average. 



328 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Table 172. — Analyses of water from Neosho River at Emporia, Kans. — Continued. 









.^ 










A, 




dj 








T3 


Date. 


^ 


a 
% 

■a 


a 
o . 


O 


"a? 




M 
% 


§5. 


1 


4.3 

SB 




CO 




5, 


5 
2J 



> 







From— 


To— 


"13 


1 


•3 


c3 




•3 


I 


I| 






03 


% 


03 








CO 


o 

O 


w 


1 












« 


3 
02 


!? 








1907. 


1907. 




























Sept. 20 


Sept. 30 


27 


25 


0.92 


IS 


0.08 


58 


15 


25 


0.0 


225 


21 


0.4 


5.7 


222 


Oct. 1 


Oct. 11 


74 


66 


.89 


19 


.40 


50 


14 


21 


.0 


185 


22 


1.9 


6.5 


199 


Oct. 12 


Oct. 21 


38 


17 


.45 


11 


.10 


62 


14 


27 


.0 


250 


26 


1.8 


6.5 


232 


Oct. 28 


Nov. 6 


48 


3S 


.79 


16 


.24 


51 


14 


18 


.0 


182 


20 


6.0 


6.0 


196 


Nov. 7 


Nov. 16 


32 


22 


.69 


18 


.10 


66 


12 


17 


.0 


193 


21 


1.8 


8.5 


198 


Nov. 17 


Nov. 25 


].5 


1.6 


.11 


18 


.14 


54 


14 


2'? 


.0 


i95 


24 


1.2 


6.5 


213 


Nov. 26 


Dec. 5 


11 


4 


.36 


17 


:18 


60 


14 


32 


.0 


210 


28 


1.3 


8 5 


241 


Mean 


184 


138 


.71 


44 


1.79 


66 


13 


25 


.0 


255 


34 


3.5 


7.2 


267 


Per cent of anhy- 






























drous r 










13.7 


.8 


20.6 


4.1 


7.8 


39.1 




10.6 


1.1 


2.2 















Note. — Analyses from December 5, 1906, to February 4, 1907, and from March 17 to November 25, 1907, 
by F. W. Bustiong; from February 5 to March 16, 1907, and from November 20 to December 5, 1907, by 
Archie J. Welth. 

Table 173. — Daily turbidity measurements of Neosho River at Emporia, Kans., and daily 
gage heights at Neosho Rapids, Kans. 

[Alva J. Smith and F. A. Bacon, observers.] 





1904. 


Turbidity, 1905. 


Day. 


August. 


September. 


October. 


Novem- 
ber. 


De- 
cem- 
ber. 


a 

08 

1-5 


2 

<B 


si 


ft 
< 


03 


§ 
D 
1-5 








03-2 




<pi 

A 


S 


o3 bf) 

O'S 
-a 




03 bjO 


'2 


1-5 


1 

2 

3 

4..,.. 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31 


35 
33 

30 
30 
30 
30 
30 
28 
30 
40 
28 
40 
30 
35 
33 
35 
33 
35 
40 
35 
35 
45 
45 
40 
38 
40 
40 
40 
35 
26 
26 


12.75 
12.60 
12.50 
12.65 
12.40 
12.15 
12.30 
12.30 
12.00 
12.00 
12.15 
12.05 
12.00 
11.95 
11.90 
11.90 
11.90 
11.90 
11.90 
11.90 
11.90 
12.15 
13.75 
13.80 
12.50 
11.90 
11.90 
11.80 
11.75 
11.60 
11.60 


35 
33 
35 
35 
35 
33 
35 
33 
35 

40 
60 
42 
60 
60 
45 
35 
35 
35 
33 
30 
30 
35 
33 
30 
28 
28 
28 
26 
26 
30 


11.60 

11.80 

11.70 

11.55 

11.40 

11.40 

11.40 

11.40 

11.40 

11.40 

9.90 

9.90 

9.80 

9.80 

10.05 

9.90 

9.90 

9.80 

9.80 

9.80 

9.80 

9.80 

9.80 

9.90 

9.90 

9.90 

9.90 

9.80 

9.80 

9.80 


30 
23 

24 
22 
26 
21 
22 
22 
22 
21 
21 
18 
18 
17 
16 
17 
15 
17 
19 
18 
19 
17 
20 
20 
19 
20 
22 
18 
20 
18 
18 


9.85 
9.95 
10.05 
9.90 
9.85 
9.80 
9.80 
9.80 
9.80 
9.80 
9.80 
9.80 
9.80 
9.80 
9.70 
9.65 
9.60 
9.60 
9.60 
9.60 
9.60 
9.60 
9.50 
9.50 
9.50 
9.50 
9.50 
9.50 
9.50 
9.50 
9.50 


19 
20 
20 
24 
24 
20 
30 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
22 
24 
26 
30 
30 
35 
35 
35 
30 
28 
26 
24 
24 
24 
24 
24 
24 


9.50 
9.50 
9.50 
9.50 
9.50 


20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
19 
20 
22 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
21 
18 
17 
18 
17 
. 17 
14 
15 
17 
17 
18 
18 
17 
17 
18 


16 
14 
16 
15 
14 
15 
14 
14 
16 
17 
14 
14 
15 
15 
17 
17 
14 
14 
17 
17 
17 
15 
16 
15 
16 
13 
11 
12 
15 
7 
7 


7 

7 

8 

8 

10 

8 

9 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

10 

70 

200 

200 

200 

200 

180 


150 
130 
100 
96 
75 
65 
50 
40' 
40 
35 
30 
23 
23 
23 
20 
20 
26 
50 
60 
70 
40 
35 
40 
40 
45 
45 
55 
500 
3,000 
500 
230 


200 
150 
130 
110 

35 

30 

75 

65 

55 

55 

55 

55 

45 

45 

55 

55 

50 

50 

45 

45 

45 

45 

40 

45' 

55 
500 
250 
100 
130 
120 


130 
100 
30 
35 
65 
6b 
50 
50 
40 
40 
65 
50 
60 
65 
55 
50 
45 
40 
40 
35 
35 
35 
40 
45 
55 
55 
75 
70 
130 
130 
150 


100 

55 

3,000 

3,000 

900 

300 

150 

110 

95 

80 

80 

60 

55 

45 

40 

35 

35 

35 

24 

26 

60 

35 

30 

30 

30 

28 

28 

28 

60 

3,000 




3,000 

3,000 

3,000 

3,000 

500 

250 

90 

80 

250 

1,500 

300 

150 

100 

75 

45 

40 

40 

40 

35 

35 

30 

35 

30 

30 

28 

26 

26 

1,500 

350 

300 

800 














Mean . 


34 




36 




20 




24 




19 


14 


43 


182 


91 


62 


385 


603 



NEOSHO EIVER. 



329 



Table 174. — Turbidity of daily samples from Neosho River at Emporia, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


Dec, 
1906. 


1907. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1 




30 

13 

7 

4 

6 

20 

8 

8 

9 

3 

5 

7 

14 

15 

18 

5 

16 

12 

36 

4,200 

1,520 

830 

308 

45 

90 

28 

16 

13 

8 

16 

13 


8 

""""5" 

6 

2 

4 

5 

8 

6 

550 

650 

600 

473 

430 

240 

110 

65 

60 

58 

28 

30 

24 

14 

14 

16 

11 

11 

34 


2,436 

3,000 

1,902 

970 

500 

190 

80 

43 

50 

3,300 

2,472 

2,000 

380 

205 

105 

65 

36 

32 

43 

32 

35 

24 

36 

45 

42 

42 

45 

45 

43 

27 

48 


48 
65 
62 
42 
45 
38 
65 
60 
68 
48 
55 
40 
50 
50 
50 
38 
34 
27 
26 
24 
27 

""'22" 
36 
50 
24 
50 
43 
32 
32 


45 
38 
50 
26 
34 
50 
34 
38 
36 
35 
32 
38 
38 
34 
34 
35 
22 
22 
34 
65 
68 
55 
35 
42 
48 
60 
70 

""56" 

48 
57 


45 

43 

32 

52 

38 

68 

35 

6,000 

2,472 

500 

900 

220 

210 

200 

110 

100 

45 

55 

80 

50 

105 

80 

500 

140 

200 

5,335 

3,060 

1,530 

500 

460 


160 

""so' 

85 
90 
68 
65 
55 
65 
50 
65 
82 
120 
70 
46 
32 
26 
14 
40 
55 
45 
12 
24 
14 
26 
18 
26 
45 
562 
765 
732 


510 
320 
12 
200 
130 
110 
65 
65 
65 
45 
48 
35 
44 
50 
55 
62 
55 
55 
48 
65 
38 
20 
27 
43 
45 
60 
55 
45 
50 
60 
65 


45 
24 
30 
24 
22 
16 
12 
10 
18 
20 
36 
40 
30 
24 
20 
16 
15 
12 

""ie" 

12 
45 
24 
20 
18 
40 
45 
24 
20 
30 


10 
18 
45 
165 
100 
100 
90 
80 
75 
60 
70 
50 
70 
50 
45 
12 
32 
24 
30 
30 
40 

"""56" 
36 
40 
45 


45 
45 
50 
40 
70 
60 
30 
24 
36 
50 
40 
32 
45 
24 
24 
16 
16 
18 
18 
16 
15 
10 
8 
24 
12 
8 
8 
8 
10 
12 


8 


2 




10 


3 




15 


4. 






5 


52 
38 
32 
37 
30 
24 
30 
25 
20 
24 
24 
20 
24 
15 
12 
5 
5 
8 
12 
12 
15 
12 
7 

10 
10 
19 
14 


24 


6 




7 




8 




9 




10 




11 




12 




13 




14 




15 




16 




17 




18 




19 




20 




21 




22 




23 




24 




25 




26 




27 




28 




29 




30 




31 










Mean 


20 


236 


128 


589 


43 


42 


792 


118 


82 


24 


55 


27 


14 



Note. — Turbidities of more than 50 were determined with a Jackson turbidimeter, and turbidities of 
50 or less were determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie 
M. Burlingame and Harvey G. E Hedge; a lew were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 



330 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



Table 175. — Analyses of water from Neosho River at Oswego, Kans. 

[Drainage area, 5,230 square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in the chemical 
laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Date. 




e 


a 








bJ3 


03^ 


C 


ffl 


^ 






1 


Si 
.SP 










o . 


^ 




'S' 




^+ 


o 


a^ 


d 


d 


P:- 


o 


xi . 








1 


i 

to 
o 


O 

03 

3 


a 
g 


"3 


a 


■3-- 

o ^ 


d 
o 


|8 


3 


1 


(E 
P 

o 

a 


^3 

o 


a? 


From— 


To— 


as 

n 






Eh 


03 


a 


m 


h- ( 


o 


m 


u 


n 


ra 


!? 


u 


H 


S 


1906. 


1906. 
































Dec. 11 


Dec. 20 


75 


34 


0.45 


19 


2.4 


59 


11 


27 


0.0 


190 


05 


3.1 


11 


282 


0.8 


Dec. 21 


Dec. 31 


13 


10 


.77 


17 


.40 


103 


21 


2-1 


.0 


324 


129 


3.8 


14 


453 


.0 


1907. 


1907. 
































Jan. 1 


Jan. 16 


lOS 


87 


.80 


17 


2.4 


86 


16 


24 


.0 


235 


98 


4.0 


16 


372 


1.3 


Jan. 17 


Jan. 26 


730 


045 


.88 


38 


4.0 


30 


1.5 


29 


.0 


&0 


27 


7.9 


3.8 


165 


18.1 


Jan. 27 


Feb. 5 


373 


286 


.77 


39 


3.0 


67 


3.9 


22 


.0 


202 


45 


5.3 


7.2 


280 


2.7 


Feb. 6 


Feb. 15 


31 


30 


.97 


16 


.12 


83 


15 


30 


.0 


326 


62 


3.1 


10 


333 


1.5 


Feb. 16 


Feb: 25 


84 


62 


.74 


56 


.10 


97 


12 


29 


.0 


332 


65 


3.5 


8.8[ 410 


l.S 


Feb. 26 


Mar. 7 


018 


495 


.80 


28 


.32 


82 


13 


28 


a 3. 3 


227 


74 


3.2 


8. i 348 


2.7 


Mar. 8 


Mar. 19 


1,073 


752 


.70 


18 


.08 


56 


12 


45 


.0 


180 


46 


3.7 


4. 6' 245 


4.0 


Mar. 22 


Apr. 2 


308 


.307 


.83 


16 


4.0 


70 


12 


24 


.0 


253 


47 


2.2 


7. 6 303 


1.7 


Apr. 3 


Apr. 13 


170 


126 


.74 


17 


5.0 


70 


13 


24 


.0 


238 


52 


2.1 


8.5 


293 


1.1 


Apr. 14 


Apr. 23 


30 


28 


.78 


2.0 


. 7 


81 


14 


23 


.0 


275 


77 


.0 


12 


328 


.7 


Apr. 25 


May 4 


315 


350 


1.11 


7.2 


2.4 


05 


18 


23 


.0 


209 


67 


3.0 


11 


281 


2.8 


May 5 


June 1 


. 404 


.391 


.97 


21 


5 


61 


3.2 


26 


.0 


172 


56 


5.5 


8 


257 




June 2 


June 12 


289 


310 


1.07 


10 


2.0 


89 


15 


25 


.0 


295 


67 


2.6 


10 


359 


"i.'s 


June 13 


June 22 


140 


108 


.77 


21 


3 


71 


20 


27 


al2 


230 


57 


4 


9 


303 


1.1 


June 24 


July 5 


835 


679 


.81 


22 


3.5 


43 


9.2 


25 


.0 


145 


32 


0.0 


6.0 


205 


7.S 


July 8 


July 17 


73 


110 


1.51 


28 


1.8 


67 


18 


25 


.0 


242 


42 


5.5 


8 


273 


1.1 


July 18 


July 31 


33 


42 


1.27 


20 


1.5 


72 


18 


26 


aU 


115 


52 


.6 


8 


281 


.6 


Aug. 1 


Sept. 2 


20 


15 


.75 


20 


.04 


SO 


19 


26 


.0 


263 


55 


1.7 


9 


310 




Sept. 3 


Sept. 15 


27 


20 


.74 




.05 


08 


18 


26 


.0 


232 


52 


1.4 


10 


287 


""".'s 


Sept. 18 


Oct. 2 


29 


39 


1.35 


"is"" 


.10 


68 


27 


42 


.0 


185 


117 


Trace. 


13 


334 


.0 


Oct. 3 


Oct. 19 


15 


7.0 


.47 


15 


.03 


83 


24 


29 


.0 


255 


88 


.6 


11 


346 


.5 


Oct. 20 


Nov. 5 


45 


35 


.78 


14 


.14 


78 


21 


28 


.0 


220 


106 


.5 


13 


SCO 


.6 


Nov. 7 


Nov. 18 


37 


15 


.40 


15 


.02 


57 


13 


23 


.0 


192 


50 


1.5 


11 


240 


. 7 


Nov. 19 


Nov. 28 


66 


43 


.65 


10 


.20 


58 


15 


27 


.0 


198 


62 


1.1 


9.5 


247 


.9 


Dec. 2 


Dec. 9 
an 

t of an- 


70 
















.0 


160 




.9 


13 




.3 




















Me 


225 


194 


.84 


20 


1.C3 


71 


15 


27 


.0 


223 


65 


2.9 


9.7 


304 




Per cen 
































hydrou 


s residue . 








6.2 


.7 


22.0 


4.6 


8.4 


34.0 




20.2 


.9 


3.0 











a Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 

Note. — Analyses from December 11, 1906, to February 5, 1907, and from March 22 to December 9, 1907, 
by F. AV. Bushong; from February 15 to March 19, 1907, by Archie J. Weith. 



NEOSHO KIVER. 



331 



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332 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 



Table 177. — Turbidity of daily samples from Neosho River at Oswego, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



. Day. 


Dec, 
1906. 


1907. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1 




3 
3 
65 
137 
60 
42 
36 
42 
30 


245 
110 
140 
38 
27 
25 
14 
28 
20 
24 
9 
27 
27 
60 
80 
70 
120 
100 
130 
120 
105 
60 
50 
43 
36 
17 
22 
22 


34 

24 

180 

1,124 

1,530 

1,866 

1,360 

1,000 

1,000 

732 

732 


1,000 
933 
500 
420 
265 
105 
75 
48 
85 
90 
105 


966 
473 
385 
350 
473 
365 
562 
632 
350 

"3i7' 
220 

" '833' 


160 
155 

'"'46' 

65 

27 

65 

28 

40 

65 

1,200 

1,200 

340 

150 

140 

120 

100 

55 

70 

45 

80 

300 


1,360 

53 

632 

510 

370 

'"'85' 
115 
45 
48 
130 
110 
28 
26 
55 
85 
120 
34 


18 
14 

"is' 

15 
22 
24 
12 

""27" 


18 
40 
45 
50 
40 


16 
15 
10 
10 
15 
16 


36 
30 
90 
120 
30 

"ie' 

30 
36 
32 
70 
50 
24 
15 
24 




2 




60 


3 






4 






5 






6 




90 


7 




80 


8 




16 

12 


24 
8 


50 


9 




70 


10 






11 

12 


95 
70 
75 
70 
75 
55 
40 
40 
2 
5 
16 
14 
15 
13 
16 
15 
14 
11 
11 
9 
7 


"556' 
110 
700 
650 
268 
930 
900 
970 
700 
650 
833 
680 
732 
866 
666 
532 
370 


IS 
18 
16 
30 
20 


18 
"'\2 




13 

14 

15 . 


"i,"932" 

2,100 

1,000 

933 

700 

600 

""4i2" 
190 
385 
120 

""lis" 
""'iio' 

110 
305 


55 
36 
48 
27 
38 
23 
27 
62 
26 
36 
38 




16 




17 






10 
24 
15 
16 


45 
30 
36 
40 
36 
36 
100 
200 
190 
24 
10 
185 




18 

19 

20 . 




50 
18 
15 




21 








22 


34 
36 






36 
50 
24 




23 ... 








24 




532 
1,732 








25 


26 
55 
35 
40 
35 
800 








32 




26 


9 
18 
24 
36 
10 
13 






27 




933 
1,226 




30 

45 
40 
24 


"36' 




28. .. 




29 




30 


"im 


1,000 






31... 


24 
















Mean 


32 


443 


63 


744 


180 


466 


380 


160 


18 


29 


20 


59 


70 



Note. — Turbidities above 50 were determined with a Jackson turbidimeter and turbidities of 50 or less 
were determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings were made by Carrie M. Bur- 
lingame and Harvey G. EUedge; a few were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. . 

Table 178. — Assays of water from. Neosho River and its tributaries, exclusive of Spring 

River. 

[By Edward Bartow. Quantities in parts per million.l 



No. 



Date. 



Stream and place. 



Iron 

(Ee). 



Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 



Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 



Sulphate 
(SO4). 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



1 


1905. 
July 29 


2 


...do.... 


3 


...do.... 


4 
5 
6 


...do.... 

...do 

...do 


7 


...do 


8 
9 
10 


...do 

July 28 
...do 


11 


-..do 


12 


...do 


13 
14 


...do 

...do 


15 
16 


...do 

...do 



Neosho River above Slough Creek, 4 miles 
northwest of Council Grove 

Slough Creek, 4J miles north and 2 miles 
west of Council Grove 

East Branch Neosho River, 44 miles north- 
west of Council Grove .". 

Neosho River at dam, Council Grove 

Elm Creek, south of Council Grove 

Four Mile Creek, 2 miles east and 3 miles 
south of Council Grove 

Big John Creek, 4 miles southeast of Coun- 
cil Grove 

Rock Creek, 4 mile northwest of Dunlap . . 

Neosho River, IJ miles north of Emporia. . 

Cottonwood River above South Cotton- 
wood River, 3 miles west and 1 mile north 
of Marion 

South Cottonwood River, 3 miles west of 
Marion 

Cottonwood River, at bridge west of Atchi- 
son, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. depot, 
Marion 

Clear Creek, J mile north of Marion 

Lula Brook, 2 miles north and J mile west 
of Marion 

Spring Branch, 3 miles south of Marion 

Cottonwood River, 1 mile north of Florence. 



0.0 

2.0 

Trace. 
1.5 
.0 



.0 

.0 

Trace. 



0.0 

.0 

.0 
.0 
.0 



.0 
.0 

.0 

.0 

12.0 



118 

124 

116 
113 

275 



325 
240 
124 



156 
257 



80 
332 

249 
332 
289 



Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 

150 
492 



362 
492 

238 
150 
431 



NEOSHO RIVER. 



333 



Table 178.- 



-Assays of water from Neosho River and its tributaries, exclusive of Spring 
River — Continued . 



1905. 
July 27 
July 28 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do...'.. 

...do..-.. 

July 26 
July 25 

...do 

.-.do 



...do. 




...do. 




...do. 




June 


30 


July 


21 


June 


HO 


July 


20 


...do. 




June 


30 


July 


21 


July 


24 


...do. 


.... 


...do. 




July 


23 


July 


21 


...do. 




...do. 




July 


22 


July 


21 


...do. 




July 


22 


...do. 




...do. 




July 


19 


...do. 


.... 


July 


16 


July 


3 


July 


15 


July 


10 


July 


15 


July 


19 


...do. 


.... 


...do. 




...do. 




...do. 




July 


17 


...do. 




...do. 




...do. 




...do. 




...do. 





Stream and place. 



Doyle Creek at Peabody 

Doyle Creek, south of Florence 

Cottonwood River, east of Elmdale 

Middle Creek at Elmdale 

Diamond Creek, IJ miles north of Elmdale. 

Buckeye Creek, J mile east of Cottonwood 
Falls 

South Fork of Cottonwood River, 4 miles 
east of Cottonwood Falls 

Cottonwood River below mill dam at Em- 
poria 

Neosho River at Burlington 

Wolf Creek, 2| miles east and 1| n;iles south 
of bridge at Burlington 

Long Creek, 4i miles north and .J mile west 
of Leroy 

Turkey Creek, 2 miles south and 4 miles 
west of Leroy ; 

Big Creek, 2 J miles west of Leroy 

Neosho River at Leroy 

Crooked Creek, 1 mile east of Leroy 

Deer Creek, northwest of lola 

Neosho River at waterworks, lola 

Ehn Creek, 2 miles south of Laharpe 

Elm Creek above outfall of lola sewer, 
and at dam of Tola Portland Cement Co. . . 

Elm Creek, ^ mile below lola sewer outfall. . 

Rock Creek at power plant of electric rail- 
way, lola 

Neosho River at dam at Humboldt 

Owl Creek, 7 miles east and 2 miles south 
of Yates Center 

South Owl Creek, 7 miles east and 4 miles 
south of Yates Center 

Cherry Creek, b 6 miles east of Yates Center. 

Owl Creek, 1| miles west of Humboldt 

Coal Creek, south of Humboldt 

Village Creek, 1 mile north of Chanute 

Lake north of Chanute 

Neosho River at waterworks, Chanute 

Turkey Creek, 3 miles south and 1 mile east 
of Chanute 

Big Creek, 3 miles north and IJ miles west 
of Shaw 

Neosho River at Shaw 

Elk Creek, 1 mile west of Shaw 

Canville Creek, 1 mile east of Shaw 

Neosho River at Erie 

Flat Rock Creek, h mile south and J mile 
east of Erie 

Neosho River at Oswego 

Lightning Creek, northwest of Girard c 

Lightning Creek, northeast of Oswego 

Tributary of Cherry Creek, 1 mile north of 
Scammon d 

Cherry Creek, 6 miles east of Oswego 

Labette Creek at waterworks. Parsons 

Labette Creek, 1 mile below sewers. Par- 
sons 

Little Labette Creek, south of Parsons 

Labette Creek below Little Labette Creek, 
Parsons 

Bachelor Creek, 3i miles south of Parsons . . 

Labette Creek, 2 ihiles west of Oswego 

Hackberry Creek, 3 miles south and Si- 
miles west of Oswego 

Deer Creek, 3 miles south and 5 miles west 
of Oswego 

Hackberry Creek below Deer Creek, west 
of Oswego 

Laljette Creek, 3 miles north of Chetopa. . . 

Neosho River at Chetopa 



Iron 

(Fe). 



0.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 

.5 

.0 

.0 
Trace. 



Trace. 

.5 
.5 
.0 
4.0 
.0 
.0 
Trace. 

.0 
.0 

Trace. 
.0 

1.0 

4.0 
2.0 
Trace. 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 

.0 

.0 
.0 
.0 
.5 
.0 

.0 
.0 
.5 
.0 

288.0 
.0 
.0 

.0 
Trace. 

.0 
.0 
.0 



Trace. 

.0 

.5 
Trace. 



Car- 
bonate 
(CO3). 



0.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 

.0 

.0 

12.0 
.0 



.0 

.0 
.0 
Trace. 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 

.0 
.0 

.0 
.0 



Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3). 



306 
322 
300 
282 
163 



305 
306 



128 
202 
284 
134 
199 
274 
202 

111 
329 

160 
270 



116 
90 
112 
270 
217 
138 
252 



217 
244 
316 
160 
206 

157 

224 

68 

160 

Acid. 
15 
112 

151 
132 

152 
123 
155 

165 

130 

165 
133 

243 



Sulphate 

(SOi). 



(a) 
431 
138 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

Trace. 

160 
53 



Trace. 

Trace. 
Trace. 

43 
Trace. 
Trace. 

31 
Trace. 

113 
53 

37 
35 

Trace. 

Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 
40 

Trace. 

Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 

Trace. 
Trace. 
Trace. 



(a) 

157 
Trace. 

47 
Trace. 

41 
36 
37 



Trace. 

36 

Trace. 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



a SO 4 greater than 626. 

6 Local name, North Owl Creek. 



c By H. N. Parker. 

d Contains coal-mine drainage. 



Note. — Trace in sulphate column means less than 35 parts per million; trace in iron column means less 
than 0.5 parts per miUion, 



334 



QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 





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1 



NEOSHO RIVER. 335 

COTTONWOOD RIVER.^ 
DESCRIPTION. 

Cottonwood River rises northeast of Canton in the northeastern 
part of McPherson County and flows northeastward to a point a Httle 
beyond Moore, in the northwestern part of Marion County, where it 
turns and flows southeastward across Marion County; at Florence, it 
turns again and takes a general northeasterly course across Chase 
County into Lyon County, where at Wiggam it unites with Neosho 
River. 

The principal tributaries of Cottonwood River are Doyle Creek and 
South Fork of Cottonwood River, both of which enter from the south. 
From the source of the river to its mouth, the distance in a straight 
line is about 75 miles, and the river falls from an elevation of about 
1,475 feet to 1,045 feet above sea level. The drainage area has an 
extreme width of about 40 miles and comprises 1,880 square miles. 
The land is hilly or gently rolling prairie, pasture, or cultivated land, 

The channel of the river is in Permian deposits across Marion County 
nearly to Clements in Chase County, where it enters the Pennsyl- 
vanian series, in which it continues to its confluence with the Neosho. 

QXTALITY OF WATER. 

The United States Geological Survey, with the help of Alva J. 
Smith, city engineer, maintained a daily sampling station on Cotton- 
wood River at Emporia from December 4, 1906, to December 3, 1907. 
John M. Hilton was collector. 

A record of the analyses of composites of the samples is presented 
in Table 180. The table shows that the water of the river is highly 
mineralized for a surface water, is high in calcium, magnesium, bicar- 
bonates, and sulphates, and is low in chlorides. The temporary 
hardness is usually and the permanent hardness is always high. 

Measurements of the turbidity of the Cottonwood made daily with 
a United States Geological Survey turbidity rod during ten months, 
from August, 1904, to July, 1905, are recorded in Table 181. During 
about 54 per cent of the time the turbidity was less than 50. A long 
period of low turbidity extended from August 26 to November 30, 
1904. From February 1 to 22, 1905, the turbidity was less than 10. 
A period of high turbidity extended from May 10 to 19, 1905, and 
another from May 25 to June 9, 1905. The lowest turbidity, 7, was 
recorded many times in February, 1905, and the highest, 3,000, on 
several occasions during May, June, and July, 1905. 

The turbidity of the daily samples that were collected at Emporia 
from December 4, 1906, to December 3, 1907, is recorded in Table 182. 
Of the 333 readings, a little over 50 per cent were less than 50 and a 

' Water-supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 147, 1905, p. 90. 



336 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

trifle over 16 per cent were 100 or more. Periods of long-continued 
low turbidity were noted from December 4, 1906, to January 18, 1907, 
March 17 to June 22, 1907, July 3 to August 19, 1907, August 24 to 
October 1, 1907, and October 26 to December 3, 1907. 

The longest period of high turbidity extended from June 23 to July 
3, 1907. The lowest turbidity, 5, was recorded on January 11, 1907, 
and the highest, 2,340, on June 26, 1907. The coefficient of fineness, 
Table 180, most of the time was high, but nine times it fell below 0.65. 
The record thus indicates that the matter carried in suspension by the 
river is coarse usually, but that part of the time it was fine enough to 
make the use of a coagulant advantageous in filtration works. 

Tests of the water of Cottonwood River above Emporia (assays 10 
to 19, Table 178, and analyses 5 to 7, with analyses 9 to 11, Table 
179), show waters very high in sulphates, presenting marked con- 
trast to water of the Neosho River above Emporia. In explanation 
of the difference it may be said that Cottonwood River and its tribu- 
taries above Cedar Point flow within that part of the Permian area 
that is known to contain gypsum deposits. Thus in Marion County 
gypsum outcrops on French Creek, South Cottonwood River, and 
on Doyle Creek in Risely, Liberty, and East Branch townships.^ It 
is said that there is a gypsiun deposit on Doyle Creek in Harvey 
County,^ and on Liberty Creek, 5 miles west of Peabody.^ The state- 
ments probably refer to the same deposit. Doubtless there are out- 
crops of gypsum on other tributaries of Cottonwood River above 
Cedar Point, and it is possible that springs, such as that in Central 
Park at Marion (p. 133), that are high in sulphates by reason of hav- 
ing come in contact with gypsiferous rocks, contribute sulphates to 
Cottonwood River. The waters of which assays 10 to 19 are tests 
have very great permanent hardness and most of them marked tem- 
porary hardness as well. 

The tributaries of the Cottonwood that through most of their 
courses flow in Pennsylvanian rocks (assays 20 to 23, Table 178), 
are low in sulphates and, with the exception of Buckeye Creek, 
carry a moderate amount of bicarbonates. They are therefore dis- 
similar to the tributaries of Cottonwood River above Cedar Point 
and are hke those of the Neosho above Emporia. Tests of the 
water of Cottonwood River at different places between Clements 
and Emporia (assay 24, Table 178, and analyses 12 to 14, Table 
179), show that it has high permanent and moderate temporary 
hardness. 

1 First Bienn. Kept. State Board Agr., p. 292; Fourth Bienn. Rept., p. 237. 

2 Kansas, her story and statistics: Kansas State Board Agr., vol. 26, No. 101, p. 146. 
' Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 5, p. 67. 



NEOSHO RIVER. 



337 



Table 180. — Analyses of water from Cottonwood River at Emporia, Kans. 

[Drainage area 1,880 (estimated) square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in the 
chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Date. 




i 


3 










§ . 




<i> 












>> 


"c3 

a 


a S 


O 




O 


E 

3 


aw 


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From — 


To— 


3 


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3 


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1906. 


1906. 






























Dec. 4 


Dec. 13 


35 


17 


0.49 


18 


0.40 


144 


28 


31 


0.0 


387 


203 


1.1 


14 


625 


Dec. 14 


Dec. 23 
1907. 


16 


10 


.62 


13 


.50 


133 


30 


29 


.0 


395 


199 


1.8 


15 


602 


Dec. 24 


Jan. 4 


8 


4 


.50 


27 


.8 


123 


31 


27 


.0 


353 


157 


4.0 


16 


540 


1907. 
Jan. 6 


Jan. 17 


17 


18 


1.06 


36 


1.0 


100 


28 


32 


.0 


263 


162 


2.1 


16 


503 


Jan. 18 


Jan. 30 


864 


694 


.80 


40 


2.4 


70 


6.1 


28 


a7.4 


236 


61 


4.4 


6.9 


328 


Feb. 1 


Feb. 13 


58 


47 


.81 


55 • 


.12 


104 


21 


28 





370 


93 


2.1 


7.6- 


446 


Feb. 14 


Feb. 23 


25 


21 


.84 


34 


.20 


120 


22 


28 


4.0 


365 


139 


3.7 


11 


528 


Feb. 24 


Mar. 5 


405 


354 


.87 


31 


.18 


103 


22 


35 


.0 


296 


101 


4.0 


8.4 


441 


Mar. 6 


Mar. 15 


044 


485 


.75 


19 


.18 


75 


15 


21 


.0 


226 


73 


4.6 


6.1 


321 


Mar. 16 


Mar. 25 


68 


77 


1.13 


19 


2.4 


100 


19 


27 


.0 


327 


65 


1.1 


6.8 


386 


Mar. 28 


Apr. 6 


50 


38 


.76 


14 


1.0 


112 


25 


25 


.0 


364 


111 


3.8 


7.2 


462 


Apr. 7 


Apr. 16 


45 


44 


.98 


9.2 


3.2 


99 


21 


24 


.0 


298 


128 


1.1 


11 


457 


Apr. 17 


Apr. 26 


37 


23 


.62 


5.8 


.8 


102 


29 


28 


.0 


317 


148 


1.3 


11 


482 


Apr. 27 


May 6 


92 


147 


1.60 


12 


1.8 


98 


15 


28 


.0 


315 


133 


1.3 


10 


446 


May 7 


May 17 


117 


89 


.76 


13 


1.4 


93 


5.5 


22 


.0 


302 


100 


3.8 


9 


384 


May 18 


May 28 


34 


46 


1.35 


19 


.8 


93 


11 


28 


.0 


365 


123 


3.0 


11 


433 


May 29 


June 7 


69 


51 


.74 


14 


1.0 


100 


27 


27 


.0 


355 


120 


1.9 


10 


444 


Jime 8 


June 18 


54 


48 


.89 


12 


.6 


112 


28 


28 


.0 


345 


133 


10 


12 


285 


June 19 


June 28 


930 


755 


.81 


21 


1.5 


85 


21 


26 





252 


95 


5.5 


8 


368 


June 29 


July S 


120 


103 


.86 


25 


3 


90 


25 


29 


o9.5 


278 


93 


6.5 


9 


391 


July 9 


July 20 


63 


50 


.79 


24 


1.0 


109 


27 


29 


o7.0 


320 


111 


4.5 


9.5 


421 


July 22 


July 31 


43 


33 


.77 


24 


1.0 


102 


31 


29 


.0 


337 


122 


2.5 


11 


448 


Aug. 1 


Aug. 11 


30 


26 


.87 


23 


.8 


119 


30 


37 


.0 


322 


160 


3.0 


11 


506 


Aug. 12 


Aug. 21 


87 


63 


.72 


23 


.50 


91 


27 


29 


.0 


310 


122 


2.0 


10 


411 


Aug. 22 


Sept. 2 


100 


55 


.55 


14 


.16 


87 


23 


23 


.0 


250 


98 


3.0 


9.0 


364 


"Sept. 3 


Sept. H 


39 


28 


.72 


18 


.12 


108 


36 


35 


.0 


318 


178 


2.4 


10 


508 


Sept. 16 


Sept. 27 


43 


45 


1.04 


17 


1.4 


96 


36 


33 


.0 


285 


189 


1.1 


13 


4iT 


Sept. 28 


Oct. 8 


64 


170 


2.66 


20 


.28 


110 


32 


29 


.0 


260 


190 


2.7 


11 


504 


Oct. 9 


Oct. 18 


86 


53 


62 


18 


.35 


81 


22 


29 


.0 


222 


95 


3.2 


15 


352 


Oct. 19 


Oct. 28 


66 


22 


.33 


19 


.13 


94 


26 


26 


.0 


250 


126 


2.0 


10 


416 


Oct. 30 


Nov. 8 


70 


28 


.40 


20 


.16 


91 


24 


24 


.0 


256 


106 


2.3 


12 


389 


Nov. 9 


Nov. 20 
Dec. 3 


41 
32 






19 
20 


.26 
.12 


118 
100 


34 
30 


28 
33 


.0 
.0 


350 
360 


222 
167 


1.1 
1.0 


14 
13 


563 


Nov. 21 


"""4."6' 


".12 


452 


Mean ... . 


135 


114 


.84 


21 


.90 


102 


24 


28 


.0 


312 


131 


3.0 


11 


445 


Per cent of anhy- 






























drous r 


esidue . 








4.4 


.3 


21.5 


5.0 


5.9 


32.4 




27.6 


.6 


2.3 















a Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 

Note. — Analyses from December 4, 1906, to January 30, 1907, and from March 16 to November 20, 1907, 
by F. W. Bushong; from February 1 to March 15, 1907, and from November 21 to December 3, 1907, by 
Archie J. Weith. 



77836°— wsp 273—11- 



-22 



338 QUALITY OF THE WATEE SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Table ISl.^Daily turbidity measurements of Cottonwood River at Emporia, Kans. 
[Alva J. Smith and J. B. Soden, observers.] 



Day. 


Turbidity, 1904. 


Turbidity, 1905. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


1 


85 
90 
90 
65 
50 
45 
45 
45 
40 
40 
35 
35 
30 
24 
24 
28 
26 
30 
30 
40 
40 
40 
300 
400 
160 
80 
45 
30 
30 
30 
45 


35 
35 
30 
30 
30 
24 
30 
30 
28 
30 
30 
35 
26 
30 
35 
30 
30 
30 
30 
30 
26 
30 
45 
35 
28 
28 
35 
45 
35 
40 


35 
45 
45 
35 
35 
35 
40 
40 
35 
35 
35 
35 
40 
50 
60 
60 
50 
40 
35 
40 
35 
25 
25 
16 
16 
14 
14 
12 
12 
14 
14 


13 
12 
12 
12 
12 
14 
14 
12 
12 
12 
12 
14 
14 
15 
16 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
14 
12 
12 
12 
12 


7 
7 
7 
7 
9 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 

■ 7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
8 
80 

150 

'""266' 
250 
160 


' 130 
100 
80 
75 
60 
60 
60 
55 
55 
50 
40 
30 
30 
30 
30 
40 
40 
120 
200 
200 
180 
150 
180 
180 
180 
180 
180 
2,000 


500 
250 
250 
150 
100 
100 
95 
95 
90 
85 
85 
65 
55 
55 
55 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
50 
60 
75 
60 
50 
40 
40 


35 

45 

40 

40 

40 

50 

60 

70 

70 

1,500 

1,500 

800 

800 

600 

400 

150 

140 

120 

110 

95 

75 

65 

65 

60 

300 

300 

300 

3,000 

3,000 

600 

500 


500 

250 

3,000 

3,000 

1,500 

600 

, 350 

130 

110 

95 

80 

70 

65 

60 

60 

65 

350 

3,000 

3,000 

300 

80 

300 

200 

180 

140 

120 

100 

90 

80 

60 


60 


2 


3,000 


3 


3,000 
3,000 


4 


5 


3,000 
400 


6. . . . . 


7 


200 


8 


130 


9 


130 


10 


3,000 


11 


300 


12 


150 


13 


75 


14. 


70 


15 


65 


10 


60 


17. . 


55 


18 


50 


19 


45 


20. 


40 


21 


35 


22 


35 


23 


40 


24 


40 


25 


40 


26 


35 


27 


35 


28 


35 


29 


50 


30 






50 


31 






55 














Mean . 


67 


32 


33 


13 


37 


168 


94 


482 


598 


557 







NEOSHO RIVER. 



339 



Table 182. — Turbidity of daily samples from, Cottonwood River at Emporia, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 

















1907. 












Day. 


Dec, 
1906. 




















































Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1. . 




7 

7 

13 

7 


30 
"""20" 


2,400 
400 
400 
392 


40 

48 
72 
42 


36 
36 
35 
50 


75 
65 
65 
65 


200 
190 
110 
90 


45 
34 
27 
45 


60 
65 
36 
36 


45 
520 
4^0 
933 


100 

70 
50 
80 


30 


2 




16 


3 




18 


4 


24 




5 


24 


9 


20 


160 


45 


613 


82 


65 


36 


32 


180 


40 




6 


32 




27 


140 


47 


600 


65 


80 


22 


40 


200 


60 




7 


35 


20 


28 


85 


48 


613 


65 


75 


27 




95 


60 




8 


28 
24 
14 
12 


14 
16 
20 
5 


45 
338 

"'ieo' 


42 

460 

1,226 

1,400 


48 
46 
46 
SO 


65 
65 


65 
73 


55 
50 
55 
80 


22 
24 
24 
24 


36 
40 
45 
50 


100 
60 
60 

120 


50 
80 
70 
50 




9 




10 




n - -- 


75 


65 




12 


20 


19 


160 


1,000 


55 


58 


55 


65 


22 


45 


90 


45 




13 


30 




50 


1,264 


45 


65 


55 


45 


30 


40 


90 


60 




14 


24 


24 


65 


510 


40 


60 


46 




48 


32 


90 


36 




15 


24 

18 


20 


24 
27 


295 
100 


40 
55 


60 
55 


60 
36 


65 
85 


32 

28 


"""50" 


75 
100 


24 
16 




10 




17 


18 
15 


19 
12 


15 
22 


60 

85 


32 
38 


55 


34 
60 


■""65" 


45 
40 


40 
36 


90 
50 


24 
18 




18 




19 


12 


3,320 


24 


95 


32 




55 


65 


42 


36 


50 


32 




20 


15 




17 


68 


24 


65 


43 


50 


65 


70 


60 


40 




21 


8 
10 
12 


1,230 
2,000 
1,150 


22 
20 
16 


55 
75 
45 


37 
50 
25 


""65' 


60 

58 

2,200 


"'"44" 
32 


520 
210 
262 


32 
30 
30 


70 
60 
40 


45 
50 
36 




22 




23 




24 


10 


532 


16 


47 


46 


75 


2,200 


50 


145 


45 


50 


30 




25 




180 
105 


12 
26 


47 


60 
35 




1,732 
2,340 


45 
50 


70 
55 


"""56" 


90 
100 


45 
45 




26 


11 




27 


7 




26 




35 




425 


36 


85 


50 


80 


30 




28 


7 


70 


200 


60 


35 




180 


38 


80 


50 


45 


24 




29 


6 






48 
47 
55 


45 
34 


65 
65 
80 


160 
180 


42 
46 
50 


30 
31 


70 
65 


""ioo" 

90 


18 
30 




30 


42 






31 


7 


















Mean 


17 


368 


5C 


381 


43 


134 


367 


69 


72 


45 


140 


45 


21 



. Note. — Average May 18 to 28, 34. Turbidities above 50 were determined with a Jackson turbidimeter 
and turbidities of 50 or less were determined by comparison with silica standards. Most of the readings 
were made by Carrie M. Burlingame and Harvey G. Elledge; a few were made by Helen Heald and 
Adelbert Morrison. 



340 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 



SPRING RIVER. 
DESCRIPTION. 



Spring River rises in the southern part of La\\Tence County, Mo., 
and takes a general northwesterly course to the northwest corner of 
Jasper County, where, at Galesburg, it receives North Fork of Spring 
River, and turns sharply to the southwest, passes across the south- 
eastern corner of Kansas into Oklahoma, and joins the Neosho ^ 
northwest of Wyandotte in Ottawa County. It is believed that so 
much of North Fork of Spring River as is above Marshall was at one 
time part of Dogwood Creek and so discharged mto the Osage, but 
was captured by that part of North Fork below JSIarshall, which once 
was an independent stream, and by working north rapidly in the soft 
shale cut off the stream above Marshall from the Osage. Besides 
North Fork, the three principal tributaries of Spring River in Missouri 
are, in order from north to south, Center, Turkey, and Shoal Creeks. 
These streams flow down the northwestern slope of the Ozark dome 
and with the main stream itself and some minor tributaries drain the 
entire Joplin mining district.^ The three streams are perennial, 
carry water in abundance, and have a general northwesterly course. 
Their tributaries enter at nearly right angles, are very short — only a 
few being over 4 or 5 miles in length — and many of them are dry 
except after a rain, though some, being spring fed, have a constant 
flow, and some receive a constant volume of water that is pumped 
from the mines. 

The average fall of Spring River in the Galena-Joplin district is 
3.6 feet to the mile, though locally it is considerably greater. The 
average fall of Center Creek is 6.3 feet and of Shoal Creek, 7 feet to the 
mile. The direction of the major drainage lines, except that part of 
Spring River which flows southwestward, has probably been deter- 
mined by the configuration of the general slope of the Ozark Uplift, 
though Shoal Creek occupies a structural depression that may have 
determined its position. The general southwesterly course of that 
part of Spring River lying in Kansas has doubtless been inherited 
from earlier conditions in which it was determined by the original 
slope of the Ozark dome, but its immediate position appears to have 
been fixed by the line of contact between the Cherokee shale and 
Boone formation. When a soft formation overlies a harder one, both 
dipping at a moderate angle, the general tendency of a stream flow- 
ing parallel to the strike of the rocks, unless checked in some way, 
is to follow constantly the contact between the iwo formations, work- 
ing down the slope as the edge of the softer rocks is gradually eroded. 

1 Missouri Geol. Survey, vol. 10, pp. 83-84. 

2 The following description is abstracted from Joplin folio (No. 148), Geol. Atlas U. S., U. S. Geol. Survey, 
1907, p. 2. 



NEOSHO RIVER. 341 

This, as pointed out by Adams/ appears to have been the case with 
Spring River. It has followed the edge of the Cherokee shale to its 
present position, where comparatively recent and more active cutting 
has caused it to become intrenched in the harder Boone formation 
close to the line of contact. 

The dissection of the district is moderate. Important streams are 
not numerous, and those present are separated by broad, flat-topped 
divides. In the area underlain by the Boone formation these divides 
are cut by many small, shallow, and open valleys formed by the head- 
waters of tributary streams. In their lower courses these tributary 
valleys are deeper and less open, and they are here and there bordered 
by low cliffs of limestone and chert. Such tributary valleys lie along 
all the more important stream courses of the district. They are deep 
adjacent to the deeper main valleys and are an especially pronounced 
feature along Shoal Creek, where near their mouths they range in 
depth from 80 to about 150 feet. In the Cherokee shale the dissec- 
tion is much less than in the Boone and the valleys are on the whole 
much shallower, more open, and less numerous. Even the larger 
valleys in this formation, as those of Shawnee and Cow creeks, are 
open and very shallow. 

The largest stream valleys of the district are comparatively broad 
and flat, and here and there, as along Shoal Creek and the lower 
reaches of Spring River, are rudely terraced. While the valley bot- 
toms are generally covered with alluvium, those of Shoal Creek and 
some of the tributaries are locally floored with bare rock. At Baxter 
Springs, just before leaving the district, Spring River enters a nar- 
rower, deeper valley, which seems younger than the valley above that 
point. 

The valley slopes consisting of the Cherokee shale are very gentle, 
but those formed by the Boone formation are more abrupt. Cliffs are 
common in the Boone valleys, especially where the walls are being 
undercut by the stream meanders. Since the upland surface rises 
toward the south, while the general drainage of the district is to the 
southwest, the larger valleys are deeper in their southern parts. The 
valley of Shoal Creek is the deepest in the district. West of Grand 
Falls the bluff hills bordering this stream reach a maximum height 
of about 150 feet. 

The terraces of the district are of two varieties, the alluvial flats 
and the rock shelves; the former are confined to the river valley and 
the latter are found mainly along Shoal Creek. The best example of 
the alluvial terrace is on the east side of Spring River, extending 
southward from the village of Lowell for 3 miles. It has an eleva- 
tion of about 15 feet above the stream and a width of half a mile. 

1 Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., vol. 16, 1899, p. 56. 



342 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

The terrace front descends abruptly to the river bottom, while the 
surface rises very gently to the bordering hills. At the south end it 
loses its terrace character and becomes an alluvial slope similar to 
those on the south side of Shoal Creek. Another terrace lies on the 
same side of Spring River just northeast of Lowell. A third well- 
developed terrace, about 160 acres in extent, lies east of Spring River 
and south of Short Creek. 

In many places on each side of Spring River, from Baxter Springs 
to Waco, the upland plain slopes so gently toward the river that it is 
quite impossible to distinguish the limits of the present flood plain 
except by noting the height of the high water in the flooded stream. 
This is true in the vicinity of Varck, and likewise west and north of 
Smithfield. On the flat west and southwest of the old Boston Mills 
the terrace, or second bottom, lies at an elevation of 10 feet or so above 
the alluvial flood plain, and is limited on the north by another flat, 
or third bottom, 15 to 30 feet above it, corresponding to the lower 
country about and east of Eldon. 

No second bottom is distinguishable in the great bend south of 
Messer post office nor in the bend west and north of Smithfield, but 
the alluvial plain passes gradually into the upland. These con- 
ditions continue upstream to a point east of Waco, where a well- 
developed terrace is exhibited on each side of the river. The 
absence of the terraces in this interval is due to the fact tjiat they 
have been removed by erosion that has lowered the river to its present 
level. 

Along Shoal Creek in a number of places thecreek bottom is bor- 
dered by a terrace 20 to 40 feet or more in height, the front of which 
is a sheer wall of massive chert. These rock-shelf terraces are not 
true stream terraces, as they do not represent graded sections of the 
stream valley which have been abandoned by the deeper cutting of 
the stream ; moreover, they do not lie at any uniform elevation above 
the present grade of Shoal Creek. On the contrary, they are but 
gentle swells in the more resistant Grand Falls chert member of the 
Boone formation which have been etched into relief and cut through 
by the stream in the process of lowering its bed. At Grand Falls, the 
type locality, Shoal Creek is even now attacking one of the more 
resistant of these bosses of chert. Good examples of these rock 
shelves are found about Grand Falls and along the stream as far as 
Gregg's bridge, 2 miles below; also from Reding's Mill to a point 
below the mouth of Silver Creek. 

On the south side of Shoal Creek, about 2 miles southeast of Lowell, 
the land slopes gently from the creek bank to the foot of the hill a 
quarter of a mile south, rising 35 to 40 feet in that distance. Just 
at this point a valley about 300 yards long debouches from the south, 
forming a well-marked, little alluvial fan. This suggests that the 



NEOSHO RIVER. 343 

slopes are aggradation plains built up of outwasli from, the hills by the 
coalescing of alluvial fans, and are thus alluvial slopes. This sugges- 
tion is borne out by the fact, shown by well sections, that the slope down 
to the level of the stream is made up of gravel and wash materials. 

A characteristic slope of this kind lies on the south side of Shoal 
Creek due south of Galena, and others occur on each side of the 
creek. By far the largest and best developed commences at Gregg's 
bridge, 2 miles west of Grand Falls, and stretches westward along the 
south side of Shoal Creek valley, a distance of 2 miles to a point within 
a mile of the State line. This alluvial slope is over half a mile in 
width. The edge adjacent to the hills is 55 to 60 feet higher than the 
banks of the creek. A little west of the middle of the slope a valley, 
perhaps a quarter of a mile in length, at the foot of which is a very 
plain alluvial fan, comes down from the southern hills. 

Various wells at the southern margin of this slope penetrate from 
30 to 40 feet into it, the material without exception being rock frag- 
ments, gravel, sand, and clay — typical wash material. This shows 
that the valley throughout its width has been eroded to about the 
level of the present stream and has been refilled in part by inwash 
from the sides. Only the shorter side valleys exhibit alluvial fans, 
the reason being that the larger tributaries, having cut nearer to 
grade, experience no great change in slope on reaching the main val- 
ley, and, therefore, drop no great amount of material at that point. ^ 

From the west in Kansas ^ the principal tributaries received by 
Spring River in order, from north to south, are Cow, Shawnee, Brush, 
and Willow creeks, all but the last of which drain the coal-mining 
regions of the southeastern part of Crawford County and the eastern 
part of Cherokee County, and so are contaminated by the acid 
mine waters and by sewage from the larger cities. On the west 
side of Spring River in Kansas the drainage is to the southeast. 
In general, the streams make an angle of about 150° with those on 
the east side of the river. Throughout the area the surface slopes 
to the east and southeast, or down into the trough of Spring River. 
These streams that enter Spring River from the east rise on the 
uplands of Cherokee and Crawford counties, where the elevation is 
not over 900 feet, so that they are not unlike those that drain the 
mining region proper. Their fall is not quite so great, and as they 
flow on the soft beds of the Cherokee shale their valleys are usually 
wider, and their bluffs are neither so high nor so precipitous. Spring 
River itself has a crooked course in Kansas, which is accounted for 
by its having eroded its channel through the soft shales of the ''Coal 
Measures" down to the hard Mississippian rocks. So the flood 
plain of the river rests on the upper surface of the Mississippian, which 

1 End of description taken from Joplin folio (No. 148), Geol. Atlas U. S. 

2 Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 8, pp. 46-49. 



344 (Quality of the watee supplies of KAKgAS, 

is exposed in the bottom of the river at Lowell and other places. 
Now, in every place where the river makes a bold curve to the west 
it has glided westward on top of the Mississippian by cutting into the 
"Coal Measure" shales. The tendency of the river to shift its 
channel to the west is accentuated at those places where creeks from 
the east enter the main stream. Seemingly the increased current 
due to these creeks has incUned the river to cut into the soft shales 
of the "Coal Measures" on its eastern banks in preference to eroding 
the hard Mississippian rocks. Furthermore, some of the creeks from 
the west enter the river nearly opposite the creeks from the east, 
which by eroding the eastern bank have apparently coaxed the 
river from its straight course at the same time that the eastern creeks 
were pushing it westward. 

Judged by one year's turbidity readings. Spring River is subject 
to sudden floods of brief duration. The river has the reputation of 
being treacherous, and the principal tributaries are said to subside 
slowly after they reach high stages. 

The area of the drainage basin of Spring Hiver at Baxter Springs is 
1,890 square miles. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

The United States Geological Survey maintained a daily sampHng 
station on Spring River at Baxter Springs from December 1, 1906, 
to November 30, 1907. Paul E, Mason was collector. 

The results of the analyses of the composites of the samples are 
recorded in Table 183. The table shows that the water is not highly 
minerahzed. It should usually be classed as a calcic alkaUne water 
of low temporary and high permanent hardness. All the samples of 
December 1 to 10, January 11 to 20, April 27 to May 6, May 27 to 
June 6, June 19 to 30, October 22 to 23, November 1 to 10, November 
11 to 20, and November 21 to 30 were calcic saUne in character. 

A record of the turbidity of the daily samples collected at Baxter 
Springs appears in Table 184. The series of readings shows Spring 
River to be one of the clearest rivers in the State. Over 78 per 
cent of the 344 readings were less than 50 and less than 1 per cent 
reached 100 or more. The lowest turbidity, 3, was recorded on Jan- 
uary 3, 1907, and the highest 933, on May 14, 1907. The coefficient 
of fineness. Table 183, is usually high, but twice it falls below 0.65; 
the matter carried in suspension by the river is, therefore, normally 
coarse. 



NEOSHO RIVER. 



845 



Table 183. — Analyses of water from Spring River at Baxter Springs, Kans. 

[Drainage area, 1,890 square miles. Quantities in parts per million. Analyses made in the chem.ical labora- 
tories of the University of Kansas, E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Date. 


^ 


s 




O 






0' 




d 



a ^ 


6 

02 


d 
5. 





13 
> 






. 


From — 


To— 


'2 


s 


.2 '=' 


S 


I 


1 


cu 


§ a" 


03 

a 


sa 


ta 


4> 


0) 


13 






S 


CD 


sg 


03 


i 


•3 




.§ 3 








-a 


1 





■3 






3 


3 


o 


13 


"3 


1 


-g-a 


03 


•'■• 


■3 




s 









^ 


M 


O 


CC 


l-H 


o 


M 





a 


M 


S 





H 


1906. 


1906. 






























Dec. 1 


Dec. 10 


20 


15 


0.75 


6.4 


0.40 


81 


5.3 


32 


0.0 


157 


130 


3.5 


11 


319 


Dee. 11 


Dec. 20 


11 


11 


1.00 


8.0 


.50 


69 


5.7 


24 


a2.4 


171 


80 


2.9 


7.6 


268 


Dec. 21 


Dec. 31 


10 


n 


1.10 


8.0 


.6 


64 


12 


20 


.0 


170 


88 


3.9 


7.2 


282 


1907. 


1907. 






























Jan. 1 


Jan. 10 


15 


19 


1.27 


18 


1.2 


77 


16 


20 


.0 


149 


132 


4.6 


12 


330 


Jan. 11 


Jan. 20 


187 


217 


1.16 


13 


2.0 


48 


4.8 


32 


.0 


103 


88 


6.0 


8.0 


234 


Jan. 21 


Jan. 30 
Feb. 9 


72 
16 


76 
24 


1.06 
1.50 
























Jan. 31 


io"" 


i.o' 


"57" 


"'i.'5' 


"'"is" 


""".'6' 


"iso" 


'"54" 


"io"" 


'"4."9' 


"266 


Fe'b. 10 


Feb. 19 


9 


20 


2.22 


29 


.10 


66 


8.1 


19 


.0 


188 


60 


4.9 


6.9 


276 


Feb. 20 


Mar. 3 


11 


16 


1.45 


51 


.24 


65 


5.2 


29 


.0 


147 


74 


4.8 


4.2 


301 


Mar. 4 


Mar. 13 


26 


30 


1.15 


65 


.30 


63 


3.5 


30 


.0 


147 


74 


4.0 


6.6 


325 


Mar. 14 


Mar. 24 


31 


39 


1.26 


7 


.8 


55 


9.7 


22 


.0 


149 


61 


4.8 


6.2 


235 


Mar. 25 


Apr. 4 


43 


39 


.91 


7 


.8 


65 


1.6 


25 


.0 


154 


77 


4.6 


5.8 


260 


Apr. 5 


Apr. 15 


19 


17 


.89 


3.2 


3.0 


68 


2.1 


18 


.0 


157 


72 


4.5 


7.5 


250 


Apr. 16 


Apr. 26 


18 


8 


.44 


0.0 


1.5 


63 


3.2 


18 


.0 


156 


72 


5.0 


6.5 


246 


Apr. 27 


May 6 


130 


127 


.98 


7.6 


4.0' 


56 


9.8 


21 


.0 


97 


89 


6.0 


7.0 


229 


May 7 


May 16 


274 


293 


1.07 


17 


7.5 


38 


4.6 


17 


.0 


SO 


43 


7.5 


7.0 


164 


May 17 


May 26 


88 


134 


1.52 


29 


1.6 


49 


2.0 


18 


.0 


112 


45 


8.0 


8.0 


182 


May 27 


June 6 


27 


24 


.89 


6.2 


.9 


64 


9.5 


19 


.0 


142 


70 


7.5 


8.0 


241 


June 7 


June 18 


63 


63 


1.00 


5.6 


.6 


66 


6.6 


21 


.0 


133 


86 


7.2" 


9.0 


251 


June 19 


June 30 


178 


173 


.97 


12 


1.5 


52 


7.7 


20 


.0 


98 


80 


7 


5.5 


210 


July 1 


July 10 


110 


109 


.99 


16 


1.5 


50 


15 


17 


.0 


110 


54 


6 


6.0 


181 


July 11 


July 20 


66 


73 


1.10 


16 


1.0 


66 


7.1 


25 


.0 


138 


61 


6.5 


6.0 


215 


July 21 


Aug. 1 


59 


75 


1.27 


15 


1.0 


63 


9.3 


22 


.0 


145 


62 


6.0 


6.5 


196 


Aug. 2, 


Aug. 11 


23 


32 


1.39 


6.8 


1.0 


74 


12 


18 


.0 


163 


69 


5 


5 


240 


Aug. 12 


Aug. 22 


24 


21 


.88 


6.4 


2.0 


87 


14 


31 


.0 


165 


77 


4.5 


5.5 


256 


Aug. 23 


Sept. 3 


36 


32 


.89 


9.0 


.05 


64 


9.6 


19 


.0 


140 


71 


4.5 


6.0 


232 


Sept. 4 


Sept. 15 


26 


17 


.65 


6.6 


.05 


72 


7.9 


18 


.0 


142 


71 


6.0 


6.0 


241 


Sept. 16 


Sept. 25 


27 


7 


.26 


9.4 


.02 


85 


7.5 


22 


.0 


160 


83 


5.0 


6.3 


269 


Sept. 26 


Oct. 9 


32 


27 


.84 


9.4 


.08 


63 


11 


21 


.0 


125 


92 


4.0 


6.8 


249 


Oct. 10 


Oct. 21 


28 


24 


.86 


6.0 


.06 


69 


8.4 


20 


.0 


132 


90 


5.0 


6.5 


250 


Oct. 22 


Oct. 31 


15 


16 


1.07 


12 


.18 


92 


11 • 


29 


.0 


140 


116 


5.0 


7.0 


303 


Nov. 1 


Nov. 10 


21 


16 


.76 


4.0 


.10 


70 


12 


21 


.0 


117 


150 


5.0 


8.5 


317 


Nov. 11 


Nov. 20 


17 


12 


.70 


8.4 


.10 


77 


16 


43 


.0 


145 


160 


3.2 


20 


377 


Nov. 21 


Nov. 30 
in 

of anhy- 


19 


23 


1.21 


11 


.14 


68 


11 


22 


.0 


133 


133 


4.0 


7.5 


302 


Me 


52 


54 


1.04 


13 


1.1 


66 


8.2 


23 


.0 


139 


84 


5.3 


7.3 


255 


Per cent 






























drous r 


esidue 








4.7 


.6 


24.0 


2.9 


8.3 


24.6 




30.4 


1.9 


2.6 

















a Abnormal; computed as HCO3 in the average. 

Note. — Analyses from December 1, 1906, to February 9, 1907; and from March 14 to November 30, 1907, 
by F. W. Bushong; from February 10 to March 13,1907, by Archie J. Weith. 



346 QUALITY 0]? THE WATER SUPPLIES OF KANSAS. 

Table 184. — Turbidity of daily samples from Spring River at Baxter Springs, Kans. 
[Readings made in the chemical laboratories of the University of Kansas. E. H. S. Bailey, director.] 



Day. 


Dec, 
1906. 


1907. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


1 


48 
8 
10 
12 
12 
10 
5 
8 
9 
16 
5 

15 

18 

10 

12 

8 

20 

10 

10 

5 

12 

33 

15 

10 

7 

5 

5 

7 


3 

34 

6 

5 

7 

15 

24 

30 

17 

22 

24 

22 

32 

40 

60 

198 

160 

160 

512 

665 

325 

140 

80 

40 

45 

27 

12 

20 

14 

15 

15 


8 

12 

27 

18 

7 

7 

2 

10 

50 

12 

6 

5 

4 

20 

4 

15 

6 

6 

8 

5 

7 

'"m 
'"'ie" 

9 
16 
12 


18 
12 
3 

25 
22 
32 
30 
18 
42 
32 
17 
27 
15 
14 
32 
26 
45 
40 
32 
33- 
40 
33 

""io" 

18 

""24' 
165 
40 
35 

27 


35 
20 
34 
32 
20 

'"27" 
13 
18 
. 27 
13 
18 
15 
20 
15 
14 
20 
13 
19 

'"u 

18 
13 
30 
21 
20 
24 
30 
30 
150 


270 

190 

120 

60 

150 

275 

315 

150 

70 

60 

55 

55 

58 

933 

600 

440 

312 

65 

58 

65 

60 

85 

105 

60 

45- 

33 

34 


24 
17 
22 
26 
30 
27 
26 
16 
325 
53 
53 

'"'56" 

"ie" 

18 
18 
53 
55 
22 
16 
85 

'"22" 
370 
440 
440 


412 
180 
120 
100 
80 
65 
38 
38 
40 
30 
28 
45 
45 
85 
34 
45 
11 J 
100 
70 
95 
75 
53 
190 
44 
22 
30 
40 


60 
34 
25 
24 
25 
8 
43 
27 
24 
22 
18 
22 
20 
15 
.14 
36 
55 

"""22" 
14. 
22 
22 
16 
57 
34 
34 
30 
40 
65 
15 
32 


""'24" 
45 
32 
45 
16 
36 
15 
12 

"32" 
50 
16 
12 
15 
18 
10 
36 
10 
20 
30 
80 
12 
24 
30 
18 
30 
24 
24 
18 


15 

'"'36" 
15 
16 
70 

'"76" 
50 
45 
50 
24 
36 

"""is' 

12 
30 

"""ie" 

16 
32 
24 
24 
15 
16 
24 
10 
8 
12 
12 
10 


5 


2 


8 


3 


16 


4 


18 


5 


18 


6 


30 


7 


18 


8 


32 


9 


50 


10 


12 


11 


10 


12 


12 


13 


10 


14 


12 


15 =-. 


16 


16 


16 


17 


18 


18 


24 


19 


18 


20 


36 


21 


18 


22 


15 


23 

24 


12 
12 


25 


16 


26 .... 


18 


27 


18 


28 


45 


29 


22 

45 
■18 


130 

200 


'"'26' 
50 


16 


30 


7 
4 


18 


31 










12 


89 


12 


31 


26 


160 


98 


79 


29 


26 


26 


19 







Note. — Turbidities over 50 were determined with a Jackson turbidimeter and turbidities of 50 or less 
were determined Ijy comparison with silica standards. Most of the turbidity detemiinatione were made 
by Carrie M. Burlirigame and Harvey G. Elledge; afew were made by Helen Heald and Adelbert Morrison. 

Table 185. — Assays of ivater of Spring River and its tributaries in Kansas. 
[Parts per million.] 



No. 


Date. 


Stream and locality. 


Iron 
(Fe). 


Car- 
bonate 
radicle 
(CO3). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3) 


Sul- 
phate 
(SO^). 


Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 


Remarks. 




1905. 
















1 


July 3 


Cow Creek, above Girard sewer. 


1.5 


0.0 


88 


35 


6 


In high stage. 


2 


...do 


Cow Creek, 1 mile below sewer, 
1 mile east of Girard. 


. 


.0 


108 


164 


23 


Do. 


3 


July 5 


Cow Creek, 2 miles west and 1 
mile south of Pittsburg. 


Trace. 


.0 


114 


61 


14 




4 


July 6 


Middle Cow Creek, IJ miles 
west and 14 miles south of 
Pittsburg. 


Trace. 


.0 


16 


140 


10 


Above dam of Hull 
& Dillon Packing 
Co. 


5 


...do 


Middle Cow Creek at Pitts- 
burg. 


.5 


.0 


13 


130 


19 


100 yards below 
dam of Hull & 
Dillon Packing 
Co. 


G 


July 5 


Cow Creek, below sewers 2 
miles south of Pittsburg. 


.5 


.0 


72 


113 


13 




V 


...do 


Little Cow Creek, 2| miles east 
of Pittsburg. 


IG.O 


.0 


Acid. 


431 


36 


Contaminated by 
mine drainage. 


8 


July 10 


Reservoir at St. Louis & San 
Francisco Ry. pumping sta- 
tion south of" Cherokee. 


1.0 


.c- 


44 


124 


10 


By Edward Bar- 
tow. 


9 


July 13 


Spring River, above Turkey 
Creek at Empire. 


.0 


.0 


119 


37 


7 


Do. 


10 


...do 


Turkey Creek, near its mouth 
at Empire. 


.0 


.0 


130 


383 


12 


Do. 



POLLUTION OF STREAMS BY WASTE FROM OIL EEPTNEPJES. 347 
Table 185. — Assay of water of Spring River and ils tributaries in Kansas — Continued. 



No. 



Late. 



1905. 
July 13 



.do. 



..do... 
..do... 



..do 

July 12 



July 14 

July 10 

-.do 

..do 

..do 



Stream and locality. 



Spring River, at bridge 1 mile 
north and 1 mile west of Em- 
pire. 

Short Creek, west of Empire. . 



Spring River, west of Empire . . 

Shawnee Creek, 3 miles north 
- and 2 miles west of Empire. 

Short Creek, above Galena 

Shoal Creek, at waterworks, 

Galena. 
Brush Creek, at ford 1 mile 

south and 1 mile east of Co- 
lumbus. 
Brush Creek, 3 miles north of 

Baxter Springs. 
Willow Creek, 1 mile north of 

Baxter Springs. 
Spring Creek, below Baxter 

Springs. 
Spring River, below dam at 

Baxter Springs. 



Iron 

(Fe). 



1.0 
.0 



.0 

.0 

1.2 

Trace. 



Car- 
bonate 
radicle 
(CO3). 



Bicar- 
bonate 
(HCO3) 



50 
119 



Sul- 
phate 
(SOj). 



246 
a Trace 



Chlo- 
rine 
(CI). 



Remarks. 



By Edward Bar- 
tow. 

SO4 greater than 
626. By Edward 
Bartow. 

By Edward Bar- 
tow. 
Do. 

Do. 
Do. 

Do. 



Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 



a Less than 35 parts per million. 

■The results of water assays of Spring River and its tributaries in 
Kansas are recorded in Table 185. Tests of the water of Cow Creek 
and its tributaries (assays 1 to 7, Table 185), show waters low in 
bicarbonates and all, except No. 1, indicate high sulphates. The 
test of Little Cow Creek east of Pittsburg (assay 7, Table 185) is 
interesting, for it shows the water to be so highly polluted by mine 
drainage that it is acid. The other assays that appear in Table 185 
should be studied in connection with E. H. S. Bailey's discussion of 
the pollution of Spring River by mine drainage, pp. 351-354. 

POLLUTION OF STREAMS BY WASTE FROM OIL 
REFINERIES. 

In Kansas the pollution of some of the streams by the wastes 
from oil refineries is a serious matter. The polluting wastes are of 
two kinds — first, those arising from leakage of the crude oil, and, 
second, those caused by the discharge of chemicals used in purifying 
the distilled oil. The first comes from the escape of crude oil from 
pipe lines that carry it to the refineries, and from vats and barrels 
in which it is stored at the refineries. This sort of pollution is gen- 
erally accidental, for crude oil is valuable and refiners and pro- 
ducers do not intend that much of it shall escape. Still some streams 
are always streaked with oil from the leakage of pipe lines which 
cross them. It is said that the oil entangles clay particles that are 
held in suspension by the waters of the streams and then sinks, 
making the bottoms of those streams which are mach polluted 



348 QUALITY OF THE WATER SUPPLIES OP KANSAS. 

by crude oil very foul. No attempt has been made to verify this 
statement. 

Polluting wastes of the second kind are made up of the acids and 
alkalies that are used in treating the burning-oil distillate in the 
agitators. S. P. Sadtler, in his "Industrial organic chemistry," 
(3d ed., p. 21), divides the products from the distillation of crude 
oil into three parts — (a) benzoin distillate, (6) burning-oil distillate, 
and (c) residuum. No important polluting wastes from (a) and (b) 
result, but in the purification of (b) sometimes all, and always a part, 
of the acid and alkali wastes are discharged in the streams. The 
process of purification of (b) is described by Sadtler,^ as follows: 

The burning-oil distillate must be freed from the empyreumatic products resulting 
from the distillation, which give it both color and disagreeable odor. To effect this 
it is subjected to a treatment with sulphuric acid, washing with water and a solution 
of caustic soda. This operation is conducted in tall cylindrical tanks of wrought iron, 
lined with sheet lead, which are called "agitators." The bottom is funnel shaped, 
terminating in a pipe furnished with a stopcock for drawing off the refuse acid and 
soda washings. The distillate to be treated must be cooled to at least 60° F., and 
before the main body of acid is added for the treatment any water present must be 
carefully withdrawn. This is done by starting the agitation of the oil by the air 
pump and introducing a small quantity of acid. This is allowed to settle, and with- 
drawn. The oil is now agitated, and about one-half of the charge of acid is introduced 
gradually from above. The agitation is now to be continued as long as action is indi- 
cated by rise of temperature, when the dark "sludge acid" is allowed to settle, and 
withdrawn. The remaining portion of acid is added, and a second thorough agitation 
takes place. The whole charge of acid needed for an average distillate is about one 
and one-half to two per cent, or about six pounds of acid to the barrel of oil. The 
acidj as drawn off, is dark blue or reddish brown in color, a'nd is charged with the 
sulphocompounds of the olefines, while free sulphur dioxide gas is present in abun- 
dance. The oil, after treatment, consists of the paraffin hydrocarbons almost freed 
from admixture with olefines. In color it has been changed from brownish yellow 
to a very light straw shade. The oil is now washed with water introduced through 
a perforated pipe running around the upper circumference of the tank. This water 
percolates through the body of the oil, removes the acid, and is allowed to escape in 
a constant stream from the bottom. When the wash water shows no appreciable acid 
taste or reaction, the washing is stopped, and about one per cent of a caustic soda 
solution of 12° Baume is introduced, and the oil is again agitated. When this is drawn 
off the oil is ready for the settling tanks. A washing with water after the soda treat- 
ment is sometimes followed, but it is not general. A washing with dilute ammonia 
is also sometimes used to remove the dissolved sulphocompounds. 

lOp. cit., p. 24. 



PRELIMINARY REPORT ON STREAM POLLUTION BY MINE 
WATERS IN SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS. 



By E. H. S. Bailey. 



INTRODUCTION. 

The region comprising southeastern Kansas and southwestern 
Missouri has become of great economic importance because of its 
lead and zinc mines, which yielded in 1909 about 9 per cent of the 
total lead output and almost 50 per cent of the total zinc output of 
the United States. Joplin and Webb City, Mo., are its mining cen- 
ters, but the mining area extends from Springfield and Aurora, Mo., 
to Miami, Okla., a distance of 90 miles. 

Important lead and zinc deposits were discovered in this area as 
long ago as 1850, but they were not extensively opened until 1870. 
Ore was first mined in Kansas in the vicinity of Galena, and a little 
later a company was formed to operate mines near Baxter Springs 
and Lowell. In 1876 ore was found along Shoal Creek, and in 1877 
at least 10,000 people poured into the camp, which formed the nucleus 
of the cities of Empire and Galena. Since that time the whole Joplin 
region has developed rapidly, and it is now one of the most important 
producers of lead and zinc ores in the world. In 1909 the output of 
the mines of the Joplin district was valued at $13,959,769. 

The ores of the region here discussed (Cherokee County, Kans.) 
consist of lead sulphide (galena, PbS), zinc sulphide (blende, ZnS), 
with some zinc carbonate (smithsonite, ZnCOg) and zinc silicate 
(calamine, ZnSi04. II2O). These minerals occur very intimately asso- 
ciated with shale, chert, and limestone. 

The Kansas lead and zinc region is part of the Ozark area and lies 
900 to 1,100 feet above sea level. It is drained southward into 
Spring River, whose waters reach the Arkansas by way of the Neosho 
and whose tributaries, beginning on the north, are Center, Turkey, 
Shawnee, Short, and Shoal creeks. Center Creek enters Spring River 
about 3 miles north of Galena, on the Kansas-Missouri line; Shoal 
Creek flows south of Galena and empties into Spring River at Lowell, 
about 4 miles west of Galena; Shawnee Creek enters Spring River 
about 3 miles northwest of Galena and drains an area in Kansas to 

349 



350 STREAM POLLUTION BY MINE WATERS. 

the north and west of this point. These streams not only carry the 
drainage of the lead and zinc mines to the east in Missouri, but they 
carry also the drainage and sewage of Galena, Joplin, Carthage, Webb 
City, and many mining camps. The drainage from the mines in the 
vicinity of Baxter Springs, situated below Lowell on Spring River 
within a mile of the Oklahoma line, is not here considered. 

With the growing industrial importance of the region the question 
of a satisfactory water supply for the people and the related question 
of the pollution of streams by mine drainage as well as by city sewage 
have acquired great economic interest. But little systematic study 
of the effect of the pollution of streams by industrial wastes has thus 
far been carried on in any section of the county, although it is con- 
ceded that such pollution may render the waters unfit for domestic 
or municipal supplies, may result in killing fish, and may lead to 
extensive litigation. 

In the mining industry the water supply is of particular inportance, 
for water is required not only for milling ores but as feed for boilers, 
and if not found in abundance near the mines it must be brought from 
a distance. In many localities surface water is collected for use at 
the mines. 

On the other hand, trouble may result from an excess of water, for 
in many mines water accumulates rapidly and its removal may 
occasion great expense. This mine water is due in part to the rain- 
fall on the surface, but it is in part also underground water which 
finds its way through the lower strata from the more elevated Ozark 
dome to the southeast.^ As this water is frequently used several 
times in the mills, every opportunity is afforded it to dissolve any 
sulphate of lead, zinc, and iron that may have formed in the process 
of oxidation of the sulphides. The particles of ore in the inimense 
piles of gravel and tailings in the vicinity of the mines oxidize rapidl}" 
on being exposed to the weather, so that this is a source of sulphates 
by no means to be neglected. In the case of iron sulphide this oxida- 
tion can be represented by the equation 2FeS2 + ^Oj + 2H2O = 2FeS04 + 
2H2SO4. An acid sulphate water is the result of the oxidation. The 
iron would be mostly in the ferrous state until oxidized by contact 
with the air for some time. 

In the abandoned'workings, especially those that are well ventUated, 
the oxidation of zinc, lead, and iron minerals takes place rapidly, so 
that sometimes the mine water is very strongly impregnated with 
mineral salts; but notwithstanding these impurities the acid mine 
water is often the best that can be obtained for use in the mills. 

It is evident that the quality of the water finally discharged from 
the mine and mill is much influenced by the original character of the 
water used. If the original water supply runs through granite or 

1 Kansas Univ. Geol. Survey, vol. 18, p. 97. 



WATER FROM SPRING RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. 



351 



sandstone rocks, the water will usually contain little dissolved mineral 

matter, but if it passes through beds of limestone or gypsum it will 

carry more or less of these minerals in solution and will be known as 

a "hard" water. 

WATERS ANALYZED. 

The samples of water analyzed were obtained in the vicinity of 
Galena and Empire, Kans. The locality where each sample was 
taken is indicated on the accompanying map (fig. 1, p. 352). When 
the samples were collected the streams were only slightly above the 
ordinary stage. 

Some of the waters examined came from Spring River and its 
tributaries, some were from the concentrated waste of the mills, and 
others from abandoned workings. 

WATER FROM SPRING RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. 

CHARACTER OF WATER. ■ 

The results of the analyses of samples taken from Spring River and 
its tributaries are shown in Table 186. Additional information in 
regard to the samples is giyen in the paragraphs following the table, 
which are numbered to correspond with the numbered columns. 

Table 186. — Analyses of loater of Sjjring River audits tributaries. 
[Samples collected by E. H. S. Bailey; quantities in parts per million.] 





1 


2 


3 


4 


5 

14.0 
2.5 
1.8 

43.2 

7.3 

3.7 

157.2 


6 

23.1 
12.1 
4.5 
67.2 

2.8 
11.0 
15.6 


7 

8.1 
9.8 
7.4 
40.4 
2.7 
10.0 
19.0 


8 


9 


10 


11 


Si02 

Fe 

Al 


25.4 
4.6 
3.4 

52.6 
4.5 
16.2 
70.0 


39.4 
4.8 
3.6 

59.4 

2.8 

.3 

79.3 
4.0 


29.3 

12.5 

9.4 

162.9 

"47 .'3" 

307.8 

24.2 


621.9 
62.7 
34.3 

206.8 
21.3 

732.0 
1,624.8 


8.0 
.5 


3.2 
3.0 


6.4 
2.0 


16.0 
2.4 


Ca 

Mg 

Zn 


69.0 

5.7 


68.0 
2.1 


91.0 
14.0 


50.0 

4.2 


SO4 

CO3 


80.0 

2.4 

7.6 

24.0 

2.9 

171.0 

268.0 


72.0 


77.0 


25.0 


01. .. 




136.4 




49.0 




•7.5 

18.0 

4.5 

157. 

250.0 


5.5 
31.0 

4.5 
165.0 
256.0 


4.2 


Na 










NO3 ! " ' 














2.8 


HCO3 
















Total solids 


279.6 




270.8 


859.2 


3,833.0 


228.6 


198.8 


179.2 


178.0 







1. Spring River above Badger; sample taken March 31, 1905, on right bank, just 
above a deep ford and immediately above the intake of the pump of the near-bj^ mills; 
river at about medium stage. The stream at this point is rapid. The mine water 
from the neighboring mines is said not to be as hard as that from some of the older 
mines. River water is used for the boilers and is said not to corrode them seriously. 
The sample represents the water as it enters Kansas, after the river has received most 
of the drainage of Carthage, Mo., and of many mining camps. 

2. Center Creek; sample taken March 31, 1905, at a point about 200 feet below the 
Smithfield Ford, Mo.; current rapid and running over pebbles. At this stage the ford 
was passable for a buggy. Nearest mine drainage, 1^ miles above sampling point. 
This stream had received the drainage of Webb City and Carterville, Mo., as well as of 
a number of mines. 

3. Turkey Creek; sample taken March 31, 1905, on the right bank, at the Niedler 
Ford of Spring River and Turkey Creek, about 50 feet below the Turkey Creek bridge, 



352 



STREAM POLLUTION BY MINE WATEES. 




WATER PROM SPRING RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. 353 

about 600 feet above the junction of the creek with Spring River, and only a few 
hundred feet west of the Kansas-Missouri line. Owing to back water from Spring 
River, the current was not rapid, but the sample was not contaminated with Spring 
River water. Turkey Creek carries most of the sewage of Joplin, Mo., as well as the 
drainage of a large number of mines and adjacent settlements. 

4. Short Creek; sample taken April 1, 1905, about one-half mile above the mouth 
of the stream, not far from Chico Spring. Water tastes astringent. This water con- 
tains most of the drainage of Empire and Galena, Kans., and that from numerous 
mines and mills. 

5. Spring River above the dam at Lowell; sample taken March 30, 1905, on the left 
bank of the stream. No opportunity for contamination from Shoal Creek. Not much 
mine drainage between this point and the mouth of Short Creek. Shawnee Creek, 
which drains an agricultural country, flows into Spring River from the west about 3 
miles above this place. 

6. Shoal Creek; sample taken March 30, 1905, above the bridge at the Galena water- 
works, directly south of the city of Galena. The river was somewhat above the ordi- 
nary stage and the water was slightly turbid. The water is of such character and 
contains so much dissolved "mineral" that it produces severe griping and has a ca- 
thartic action if used by those who are not accustomed to it. This is due no doubt to 
the salts of zinc that are in solution. This is the only sample taken from this branch 
of Spring River, which flows into the main stream at Lowell. 

7. Spring River below the dam; sample taken March 30, 1905, on the left bank, 
near the bank, and probably contains a larger proportion of Shoal Creek water than of 
the main stream. Much of this water had already come over the wheels of the mill. 

8. Spring River at Baxter Springs; average of ten samples taken daily between 
December 11 and 20, 1906. These samples were collected for the purpose of making 
a sanitary analysis in connection with the work of the United States Geological Survey 
and the State Water Survey. 

- 9. Spring River at Baxter Springs; samples collected for purpose stated in No. 8, 
April 5 to 15, 1907. 

10. Spring River at Baxter Springs; samples collected as in Nos. 8 and 9, August 
12 to 22, 1907. 

11. City supply of Carthage, Mo.; this supply is from Spring River; sample taken 
March 7, 1904. ^ 

COMPARISON OF SULPHATES. 

Comparing the amount of the sulphate shown in the different anal- 
yses of the foregoing table, it is interesting to note that Spring River 
at Carthage (analysis 11), the farthest point upstream at which sam- 
ples were taken, contained 25 parts per million SO4. Above Badger 
(1) where it had received the drainage of Carthage and mines in this 
vicinity the SO4 was 70. The river water is then diluted with the 
waters of Center Creek (2), which drains Webb City, Carthage, 
Oronogo, and Carl Junction, and which caiTies sulphates to the 
amount of 79.3. This combined stream then receives the waters of 
Turkey Creek (3) , which comes in laden with the drainage of a large 
part of the city of Joplin and camps in the vicinity and which carries 
a still larger amount of sulphates — 307.8 parts. The next tributary 
is Short Creek (4), a small stream which carries the drainage of 
Empire and Galena, Kans., and of a large number of mines in the 

' Underground water of Missouri: Bull. Missouri State Board of Health, 1904, p. 204. 
77836°— wsp 273—11 23 



354 STREAM POLLUTION BY MINE WATEES. 

vicinity. This is the most concentrated of the streams running into 
Spring River, and shows 1,624.8 parts per million of SO4. 

The next sample was taken from above the dam at Lowell (5) , after 
Spring River had been diluted by the waters of Shawnee Creek, which 
flows mainly tlu"ough an agricultural country in Cherokee County, 
Kans. This sample showed 157.2 parts of SO^. The water of Shoal 
Creek (6) , sample taken south of the city of Galena less than 5 miles 
above Lowell, shows the presence of 15.6 parts of SO^. Sample No. 
7 was taken from the river near the left bank, below the dam at 
Lowell, and its composition evidently represents mostly Shoal Creek 
water, as it contains only 19 parts of SO4. At Baxter Springs, 5 miles 
farther down as the river runs, we find an average of 76 parts of SO4. 
It is important to observe that these samples were taken at widely 
different seasons of the year, and each sample was made up of col- 
lections for 10 days, so that the figures given must closely represent 
the average proportion of sulphates. 

The amount of sulphates present in the waters seems to be the best 
indication of the impurity caused by the drainage of the mines. The 
calcium varies within wide limits, but this may be due to the action 
of free sulphuric acid on limestone in the mine and in suspension in 
the streams. The calcium does not vary in the same proportion as 
the sulphates. 

Since the zinc seems to diminish in quantity, the question arises 
whether this diminution is due merely to dilution with waters of other 
streams or to precipitation by calcium and magnesium carbonates 
in solution in the water. As there still remains in the water at Lowell 
more SO4 than is found in the water in the upper part of the course of 
the stream, it would seem to indicate that much of the zinc had been 
precipitated, otherwise it would have increased proportionately with 
the sulphates. 

No data are at hand to show the amount of water flowing in Spring 
River or the difference between high and low water. When this 
information is available it will be interesting to calculate the total 
amount of zinc that is dissolved by these waters and carried away. 
In the larger streams the acid has been neutralized by the carbonates 
of calcium and magnesium, thus: ZnS04 + CaH2(C03)2[or MgH2(C03)2] 
= ZnC03 + CaS04 + H20 + C02. In this case the water usually gives 
an alkaline reaction, but this was not the case with the more concen- 
trated samples. This acidity was especially noticeable in Short 
Creek (4) and in the small streams which carried the drainage of the 
jnines and the wash water from the mills. Analyses of water of 
this class are given in Table 187. 

WATER FROM MINES AND CONCENTRATION MILLS. 

Having considered the streams which carry away the refuse of this 
zinc-lead mining district, it will be of interest to go back to the source 



WATEE FROM MINES AND CONCENTEATION MILLS. 



355 



of these peculiar waters. Originally most of these waters are either 
ground waters — what would be called well waters in other locali- 
ties — or they are surface and rain waters stored for use in the mechan- 
ical processes of preparing the ore for the smelters. They are often 
pumped over and over again, each time becoming more heavily 
loaded with mineral matter, especially the sulphates of iron and zinc. 
The following table of analyses shows the quality of these waters: 

Table 187. — Analyses of waters from viines and from concentration mills. 





10 


11a 


12 


13 


14 


15 b 


16 


17 


18 


19 


20 


Si02 

Fe 


26.4 

399.3 

302.3 

291.3 

19.2 

1,071.3 

3,459.2 


27.6 

1.8 

1.4 

204.3 

37.0 

1,266.0 

307.8 


20.3 

5.2 

15.4 

497.1 

24.3 

1,400.2 

2,521.1 


20.2 

6.4 

8.6 

452.0 

51.9 

1,238.2. 

2,342.8 


17.6 

4.8 

16.3 

148.6 

22.9 

1,332.2 

2, 708. 8 


320.7 
264.5 
76.0 
136.1 
150.5 
7.87, 1 
3,322.8 


1,020.0 
855.8 
288.5 
237.9 
223.7 
734. 1 

5, 542. 8 


76.0 

309.1 

186.8 

308.0 

40.5 

1,852.9 

3,147.0 

23.0 

9.8 

5.7 

8,871.0 


134.0 

404.9 

149.6 

259.4 

42.2 

1,679.5 

4,789.9 

22.0 

4.8 

37.0 

8, 576. 


58.2 

237. 3 

107.7 

280.6 

22.4 

857.5 

3,028.2 

38.0 

4.7 


59.4 
200.8 


Al ■ 


140.0 


Ca 


293.0 


Ms 


22.4 


Zn.. 


677.9 


SO4 

CI 


2,635.8 
20.0 


Mn 




1 










311.2 


Pb 




1 












Totalsolid:. 


,, 664. 


1,884.0 4,853.2 


4, 437. 


5,144.0 


6,323.0 


10. 169. 


5, 058. 


4, 355. 



a Also contains 1.9 parts of lead. 



b Manganese, 46.6 parts. 



The samples were all obtained in the vicinity of Galena and were 
collected March 30, 31, and April 1, 1905. The following paragraphs 
give additional information. 

10. Alabama Coon, New York Zinc Co.; water from one of the most important 
"pumps of the district; drainage water from 112-foot level at this time. The capacity 
of the pump is 500 gallons per minute. A steam vacuum pump and lift are used. 
This is the center of the mining district southwest of Galena. Here the workings and 
piles of tailings are so numerous as to leave little ground unoccupied. By the miners 
this water is considered bad. It corrodes iron pipes so rapidly that wood-lined pipes 
with brass fittings and valves have been used. 

11. Water from the Murphy-Friel sludge mill. This water is allowed to settle and 
is siphoned off as soon as it is clear. It has been used at least seven times in various 
mills when drawn from the mine. Some of the material is washed six or seven times. 
The water contains but little iron sulphide. 

12. Water from Dead Pond, 100-foot level, South Side Mining Co. 

13. Sample taken from the 125-foot level, Short Creek Valley. 

14. From 150-foot level, South Side Mining Co. 

15. Sample of drainage from New York Zinc Co. mine near Riceville. 

16. Water pumped from mine in Empire, 115-foot level. 

Samples 17-20 were obtained through the kindness of H. N. Parker, of the United 
States Geological 'Survey, December 15, 1905: 

17. Sample from Columbia mine. 

18. From Maggie Murphy mine, one of the best-known mines of the district. 

19. Water from Alabama Coon mine, same as No. 10 but collected on a different 
date. 

20. From the Jled Bird mine. 

As an illustration of the hypothetical combination possible in 
these waters, the analysis of the Red Bird mine water (20) may be 
cited. 



356 



STREAM POLLUTION BY MINE WATEES. 



Table 188. — Analysis of water from lied Bird mine. 

Grams per liter. 

Silica (SiOa) 0. 0594 

Calcium sulphate (CaS04) 9954 

Ferrous sulphate (FeSOJ ^ . 5448 

Aluminum sulphate (Al2(S04)3) 8882 

Magnesium sulphate (MgSO^) 1118 

Zinc sulphate (ZnS04) 1- 6792 

Sodium chloride (NaCl) 0330 

4. 3118 

In only a few of the samples was lead found. We should expect 
the lead to be precipitated in the presence of sulphate ions unless the 
water contained organic substances. One liter of water dissolves 
0.041 gram of lead sulphate, but an acid sulphate water would prob- 
ably dissolve less, because the presence of free acid diminishes the 
solubility of lead sulphate. 

Mr. W. G. Waring, of Webb City, Mo., has kindly furnished the 
following list of determinations of zinc, iron, and sulphuric acid 
from his records: 

Table 189.- — Analyses of mine waters. 
[From records of W. G. Waring. Quantities in grams per liter.] 





Zinc. 


Iron. 


Ferrous 
iron. 


Ferric 
iron. 


H2SO4. 




Free. 


Com- 
bined. 




0.003 

.004 

3.500 

.414 

.073 

.390 

.450 

1.310 

.415 

.450 

3.582 

.411 

.120 

.125 

3.217 

.262 

3.970 

2.670 

4.290 

4.337 

.172 

.172 

.135 

.047 

.260 

.361 

.897 

3.000 

.153 

.012 

2.690 

2.807 

1.548 

1.905 

.935 

5.516 

.209 

.465 

.075 

.420 

1. 055 

4.867 






































0.195 










Walker & Co. 's mine (Joplin) 

C. B. Dahlgren's mine 
















1 




.140 










Bates-Cotter mine, No. 2 (Galena) 










.123 

.362 

.202 

.177 

.035 

.015 

.355 

.009 

3.160 

4.087 

3.295 










Gate City mine 










Maggie Murphy 




















MnGann mine 










Drilled well, Monaco mine 




















Continental 










Nesbitt . .. 




















Duenweg, south end 










Same, precipitated with H2S : 










Duenweg, west end 


.170 
.170 
.115 
.000 
.009 










Blue Goose 










Blue Goose, No. 1 










Clover Dale, Midway 










Prairie Bell 










Victor 










Victor, second sample 

Jefi, No. 1 












.050 
None. 








Modoc mine 








Gum Spring 








Maggie Murphy 




.402 
.322 
.164 
.210 
.231 
.274 
.027 
.163 
.060 
.482 
.510 
4.150 




.167 
.186 
.157 
.127 
.137 
1.550 




Alabama Coon 








Columbia, New York Co 








Monte Cristo, New York Co 








Dwight, New York Co 








Maggie Murphv 




.027 


10. 147 


Coppinger & Fiske mine, Carterville 




1.873 


Alix mine 









1. 645 


Stevens mine, Joplin 






1.680 


S. T. Nesbitt, Tuckahoe 






3.240 


T. P. Steers 






.668 
2.273 








2.300 











1 Partly oxidized. 



COAL-MINES WATERS. 357 

In the discussion of these waters Mr. Waring says tliat the waters 
in ore-bearing rocks are usually devoid of zinc, iron, and calcium sul- 
phate, and are devoid of free sulphuric acid when the ore deposits 
are first opened. After the metallic sulphides, especially FeS2, have 
been exposed to the free air by pumping the water away from them 
and after they are again leached the waters become highly charged 
with these metallic sulphates. The best condition for solution seems 
to be, then, alternate drying and contact with water. In some places 
where extensive pyrite beds lie above the zinc ore, as in the Galena 
mines, it is a well-known fact that the water will be fairly free from 
mineral matter after ha\'ing been pumped down, if it is kept down; 
but wlien the water rises again in a mine, on account of stoppage of 
pumping, so that the water gets into the timbers, the water becomes 
excessively acid. These conditions are recognized by mine foremen 
as those which will present the best opportunity for the oxidation 
of the sulphides. At the Victor mine, contrary to the usual condi- 
tions, the water became low in iron and zinc after the pumps were 
stopped for some time, and the percentage increased again shortly 
after starting up. 

It is interesting, also, to note that when deep wells — those from 
900 to 1,000 feet deep — are properly cased the water shows no trace 
of sulphates, but it shows about 2 milligrams of nitrogen as nitrates 
per liter. 

Some of the waters mentioned in Mr. Waring's report are from 
mines in the vicinity of Galena and others in the vicinity of Joplin, 
Mo. Occasionally waters are found, as, for instance, the last in the 
list, which contain quite large quantities of cadmium. 

COAL-MINE WATERS. 

It seems to be fairly well established that the Kansas ''Coal Meas- 
ures" rest on the " Subcarbonif erous " limestone. The Mississip- 
pian or "Subcarboniferous'' rocks, wliich underlie the coal measures, 
are found only in the southeastern corner of the State. The coal 
measures proper are nearly 3,000 feet thick and are composed of 
alternating beds of limestone, sandstones, and shales. The Cherokee 
shale is at the base of the coal measured and carries the largest bed 
of coal known in Kansas — the Weir-Pittsburg coal. This bed aver- 
ages about 40 inches in thickness and is from 60 to 100 feet below the 
surface. The mine waters examined came from this region. The 
coal-mining industry is of great importance in the State. Coal is 
mined especially in Cherokee, Crawford, Franklin, Leavenworth, 
Linn, and Osage counties. Over 7,00.0,000 tons were mined in the 
State in 1907. 

Analyses 21 to 25, Table 190, represent the composition of the 
coal-mine waters. 



358 



STREAM POLLUTION BY MINE WATERS. 

Table 190.- — Corn-position of coal-mine waters. 
[Parts per miUion.] 





21 o 


22 


23 


24 


25 b 


Si02 - 


56.1 

305.6 

385.8 

489.9 

492.4 

6, 137. 9 

74.8 

11,985 


195.7 
1, 559. 
542.0 
667.3 
723.3 
11,873.9 


51.4 

127.0 

11.3 

279.8 

137.1 

2,618.3 


25.0 
51.3 
10.3 
246. 3 
78.3 
2,121.6 


176.2 


Fe - 


2, 736. 
114.8 


Al 


Ca 


458.1 


Mk 


509.4 


SOi 


12, 124. 


CI . 


36.0 




18,.080 


4,561 


3,740 


19 729 







a Samples taken April 4, 1905. 

b Sample taken December 13, 1906, by H. N. Parker, U. S. Geol. Survey. Contained considerable 
manganese. 

21. From Clemens-Sclilanger Coal Co. mine No. 1, 1 mile north of Pittsburg; by 
Mr. Jones. Water is bandied by a steam pump with 2-inch suction and 1^-inch dis- 
charge, which runs 8 hours out of 24. 

22. From mine 3^ miles northeast of Pittsburg; by Mr. Fitzpatrick. 

23. Water from Pittsburg No. 8 shaft, Mount Carmel Coal Co.; by Mr. Osbom. 

24. Sample from Pittsburg No. 5 shaft, Mount Carmel Coal Co., near Chicopee; by 
Mr. Osborn. 

25. Sample from No. 8 shaft. Mount Carmel Coal Co.; sump had been pumped out 
once during morning. 

The analyses show these waters to have the usual composition of 
coal-mine waters. They contain large quantities of iron sulphate 
and sulphuric acid, produced by the oxidation of the pyrite wliich 
is mixed with the coal. The equation showing their action would 
be 2FeS2+702 + 2H2S04 = 2FeSO,+2H2SO,. The iron, which is at 
first in a ferrous state, is oxidized on standing in accordance with 
the reaction 4FeS04 + 0^ + 2H2SO,= 2Feo(S04)3 4- 2H2O; hydrolysis 
takes place, and the ferric hydrate is precipitated as a reddish-brown 
deposit. This latter change may be illustrated by the equation 
Fe^CSOJ + 6H2O = 2Fe(OH)3 +3H2SO4. 

This occurs to some extent in the mines, but especially in the 
streams that carry away the mine drainage. Often the iron is no 
more abundant than in the zinc mine waters, but the sulphates in 
these samples averaged higher than in the zinc waters. In one 
sample (No. 25) the solids amounted to as much as 1,152 grains per 
gallon. Water of this character, when it finds its way into neighbor- 
ing streams, is largely diluted, its iron is precipitated, its free acid 
is neutralized by contact with the lime contained in the water, 
and although calcium sulphate is thus formed, the quaUty of the 
product is much improved so that it may be used for some domestic 
purposes. The latter reaction would be expressed by the equation 
H2SO, +CaC03 = GaS0, -^H^O +C0,. 

EFFECT OF MINE WATERS ON FISH. 

In regard to the action of these waters on the animal life of the 
streams, M. C. Marsh ^ says: "The reaction of water which will sup- 

1 Water-supply Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 192, 1907, p. 337. 



EFFECT OF MINE WATERS ON METALS. 359 

port fish life must be slightly alkaline. When the water becomes 
even slightly acid, fish can not live in it, and in the experimenting with 
acid pollutions the alkalinity of the water used as a diluent of course 
affects the results." 

In this special case whenever the point of acidity has been reached 
there is no doubt that the water is poisonous, and probably a slightly 
acid water would produce fatal results after a longer time. As noticed 
above, there was in most cases enough calcium carbonate and alkali in 
the larger streams to maintain the alkalinity. 

EFFECT OF MINE WATERS ON METALS. 

J. W. Jones, ^ in discussing the action of mine waters on metals, calls 
attention to ihe examination made of the water from the Stanley 
mine, Idaho Springs. This was pumped by steam, allowing the 
exhaust to pass into the water of the sump. Under these conditions 
the wrought iron pipe lasted only about a week. By substituting air 
for steam the life of the pipe was somewhat lengthened. After making 
experiments to show the action of acids upon metals, an analysis was 
made of the dried precipitate deposited in the water on standing. 
This was found to be of the following composition: 

Composition of dried precipitate in water from Stanley mine. 

Ferric oxide 53. 57 

Aluminic oxide 2. 87 

Silica 10.85 

Sulphurous anhydride ■ 11. 46 

Water 21.14 

99.89 

This is evidently a hydrated basic sulphate of iron. The water 
filtered from the precipitate had the following composition: 

CoTnposition of water filtered from precipitate in water from Stanley mine. 

Parts per 
thousand. 

Silica 0.0438 

Sodium chloride - 1340 

Sodium sulphate ' 3117 

Potassium sulphate 1555 

Aluminum 0198 

Zinc sulphate 1224 

Manganous sulphate 4271 

Magnesium sulphate 4675 

Calcium sulphate. - 6363 

Ferric sulphate 6064 

Ferrous sulphate 0094 

Copper sulphate 1947 

1 Ferric sulphate in mining waters and its action on metals: Proc. Colorado Sci. Soc, vol. 6, 1897-1900, 
pp. 46-55. 



360 STREAM POLLUTIOISr BY MINE WATERS. 

The corrosive action of the water is ascribed to the presence of 
copper sulphate, and its solvent power for copper to the ferric sulphate 
that is present. Free sulphuric acid was not found, although the 
water was distinctly acid. Experimsnts were tried on finely divided 
metals with a solution of ferric sulphate and it was found that copper, 
silver, antimony, and bismuth readily dissolved, while lead and gold 
were not acted upon. In some experiments with ferric chloride solu- 
tion on the metals, it was found that lead, copper, bismuth, antimony, 
and to some extent silver, were dissolved. The reactions involved 
are represented by the following equations: 

Cu + Fe^CSO J 3 = CuSO, + 2FeS0, 
Ag, + Fe(SO J3 = Ag.SO, + 2FeS0, 
Pb + FePe = PbCl, + 2FeCl2 
2Bi + SFe^Cle = 2BiCl3 + GFeCl,^ 

The results of practical experiments on a large scale with iron pipe 
and lead-lined pipe showed these to be worthless. Wooden pipe 
lasted over a year. Copper pipe, containing a very small amount of 
zinc, in a short time gave way at the joints. Gutta-percha pipe was 
found to be too soft. Bronze had been in place for two years with 
good results, and it was predicted that aluminum bronze would last 
still better. In a discussion of this paper E. R, Kir by stated that 
wrought-iron pipe with wooden lining had been successfully used at 
Buel mine at Central City. 

Philip Argall quoted the analysis of water from Ballygahan mine, 
Wicklow, by G. A. Kinahan, as follows: 

Analysis of water from Ballygahan mine. 

Parts per 
thousand. 

Ferrous oxide 0. 8181 

Ferric oxide 0430 

Copper oxide 0932 

Manganous oxide , . . . 0230 

ZLqc oxide 0130 

Sulphuric acid 6. 3426 

7. 3319 

Mr. Argall states the standard practice in the Wicklow mines is 
to line cast-iron pipes with one-half inch soft pine strips. The suc- 
tion pipes are of hard wood and the plungers and valves of bronze. 

Ernest Le Neve Foster stated that in the Saratoga mine, Russell 
Gulch, the best results had been obtained by the use of a Cornish 
pump with clack seats and clacks made of bronze, and all other 
parts, including the standpipe, made of cast iron. This installation, 
after 20 months, showed little corrosive action of the water. The 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 361 

most complete analysis of the water from this mine at hand showed 
the following composition : 

Analysis of water from Saratoga mine. 

Grains per 
U. S. gallon. 

Calcium sulphate 1, 763 

Magnesium sulphate 353 

Sodium chloride i .59 

Iron sulphate 1, 379 

Free sulphuric acid 3. 20 

Sand 696 

Volatile organic matter 5. 49 

An interesting point in this connection is that the action of mine 
water dripping on iron is much more severe than when the iron is 
immersed in it, so that a series of drops of water falling on a 12-pound 
T-rail will cut it in two in the course of three weeks. Cast iron 
seems to withstand corrosive action very much better than wrought 
iron. A low temperature of the mine water, and the use of com- 
pressed air rather than steam for power, tend to prevent the action of 
the corrosive mine water on the metallic parts. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 

This contribution to our knowledge of mine waters is made with the 
hope that it may lead to further investigation in these lines. Some 
of the problems that need solution have been suggested. What is the 
best material for pipes and pumps? What is the effect upon the 
quality of water of mixing ordinary waters with polluted mine waters ? 
If such metals as lead and zinc are precipitated, in what stage of the 
flow of the water does this take place, and what class of waters do 
this most completely? Other questions that need investigation are: 
How can mine waters be utihzed ? Is it possible to recover zinc or 
any valuable metals from these waters ? What is the effect of mme 
waters, as far as purification is concerned, on the sewage of cities? 
Can a water be made fit for city supply after being once polluted with 
the mine drainage ? Is the use of water containing a small quantity 
of zinc sulphate detrimental to health, and if so, is there a practical 
method by which it may be removed? Some of these topics have 
already been taken up as part of the work of the United States 
Geological Survey in other portions of the country, but much remains 
to be done. 

For assistance, in making the analyses quoted, the writer is mdebted 
to Messrs. Frank Gephart, H. L. Johnson, W. F. Wheeler, and E. A. 
White. For many courtesies extended, thanks are also due to Mr. 
C. G. Waring, of Webb City, Mo., and to Manager T. J. Vest, of Galena, 
Kans. 



INDEX. 



A. Page. 

Abbyville, well water at, analysis of 165 

Abilene, Abilene Creek at, water of, assay of. 204 

city water at, analysis and assay of 78 

Abilene Creek, water of, assay of 204 

Acid mine water, effect of, on fish 358-359 

Acid waters, character of 21 

origin of ^1, 350 

Acknowledgments to those aiding 12 

Adams, G. I., report of 153 

Albert, well water at, analysis of 56 

Alden, well water at, assays of 279 

Alkaline waters, character of 21 

Allen County, well water in, character of 50-51 

Alluvium, description of 38-39 

Alma, Mill Creek at, water of, analyses and 

assays of 205, 207 

well water at, assays of 195 

Altitudes in Kansas, range of 22 

Alton, well water at, analysis of 152 

Aluminum, data on 17 

Analyses, methods of 15, 20 

results of. See tables. 
Anderson County, well water in, character of. 52 
Anthony, Bluff Creek at, water of, analyses of. 282 

well water at, analyses and assays of 107 

Appanoose Creek, water of, assays of 264 

Arcadia, Cox Creek at, water of, assays of 205 

well water at, analyses and assays of 74 

Areola, well water at, analysis of 86 

Argentine, Kansas River at, water of, analy- 
ses of 207-208 

well water at, analyses and assays of 201 

Argonia, Chikaskia River at, water of, analy- 
ses of - 282. 304 

Chikaskia River at, water of, turbidity of. 305 

well water at, assays of 192 

Arikaree Fork, water of, analysis of 206 

Arikaree River, water of, analyses of 206 

Arkalon, well water at, analysis of 183 

Arkansas City, Arkansas River at, monthly 

discharge of 274 

Arkansas River at, water of, analyses of. . 287 
turbidity of 288 

well water at, analyses and assays of 72 

Arkansas River, description of 269-273 

monthly discharge of 273-274 

tributaries of 273, 278-282 

water of, analyses of 281-282, 283, 285, 287 

assays of 278-280 

quality of 275-278 

turbidity of 284, 286, 288 

Arkansas River drainage basin, description 

of 269-349 

Arlington, well water at, analysis of 165 



Page. 

Armourdale, well water at, analyses of 201,208 

Artesian water, occurrence of 39-40 

of Meade area, description of 40-43 

of Dickinson County, description of 43 

from the Ozark dome, description of 43-45 

Arvonia, Cole Creek near, water of, assay of. . 263 

Ashland, well water at, assays of 67 

Atchison County, well water in, character of. 52 
Atchison, Missouri River at, water of, analyst 

of 211 

well water at, analyses and assays of 52 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, as- 
sistance of 13, 53, 56, 

61, 62, 67, 69, 71, 72, 74, 78, 81, 83, 86, 89,92-93, 
94,97, 100, 104, 107, 109, 111, 117, 120, 125, 128, 
133, 145, 150, 155-156, 169, 175, 178, 180, 181, 
184, 189, 191, 201, 206-208, 211, 281,282, 334 

Attica, well water at, analyses of 107 

Atwood, well water at, assays of 163 

Augusta, Walnut River at, water of, assays of. 280 
well water at, analyses of 61 

B. 

Bachelor Creek, water of, assay of 333 

Bacillus coll, tests for 12 

Badger, mine water from, analysis of 351 

mine water from, sulphate content of 353 

Bailey, E. H. S., on stream pollution 349-361 

work of 12, 52, 56, 63, 74, 86, 95, 140, 

142, 199, 200, 206-207, 268, 269, 283-288, 297, 302 

Baldwin, well water at, assay of 81 

Ballygahan mine, water from, analysis of 360 

water from, effect of on metal 361 

Barber County, well water in, character of... 53 

Barber, M. A., work of 12 

Barnard, well water at, analysis of 125 

Barr, W. M., work of 210 

Bartlesville, Okla., Verdigris River at, water 

of, analysis of 316 

Bartlett, well water at, assays of 123 

Barton County, well water in, character of. . 53-57 

wells in, locations of 54 

Bartow, Edward , work of 13, 

51, 52, 59,62, 64, 65, 70, 74, 81, 103, 126, 128, 129, 
133, 142, 145, 150, 200, 205, 263, 264-265, 346-347 
Baxter Springs, mine water from, analyses 

of 351-353 

mine water from, sulphate content of 354 

Spring Creek at, water of, assay of 347 

well water at, analysis and assays of 64 

Bear Creek, description of 288-289 

water of, assay of 280 

Bear Creek Valley wells, water of, assays of. . 118 
Beaver Creek, water of, assays of ' 204 

363 



364 



INDEX, 



Page. 

Becker, C. L., work of 13 

Bee Creek, water of, analysis of 316 

Belle Plaine, Ninnescah River at, water of, 

analyses and assays of 281,282 

well water at, analyses and assays of. . . 191-192 

Belleville, pond at, water of, analysis of 206 

well water at, assay of 167 

Belmont, well water at, analysis of 120 

Beloit, Solomon River at, monthly discharge 

of 224 

Solomon River at, water of, analyses of. . 227 

water of, turbidity of 228 

well water at, assay of 140 

Belpre, well water at, analysis of 83 

Bendena, well water at, analysis of 80 

Benedict, Verdigris River at, water of, analy- 
sis of 316 

Benkelman, Arikaree River at, water of, an- 
alysis of 206 

Benton group of rocks, description of 28 

Berry, J. B., work of 13 

Berryman, J. W., work of 13 

Beverly, Saline River at, monthly discharge 

of 220 

Bicarbonates, data on 19 

Big Blue River, description of 249-250 

monthly discharge of 251 

tributaries of 249-250 

water of, analyses of 206, 252 

assays of 205 

quality of 251 

turbidity of 253 

Big Blue "series," description of 24 

Big Bull Creek, water of, assays of 264 

Big Creek, Coffey County, water of, assay of. 333 

Big Creek, Ellis County, water of, analyses of. 206 

water of , assays of 204 

Big John Creek, water of, assay of 332 

Big Mule Creek, description of 299 

water of, assay of 280 

quality of 300 

Big Soldier Creek, water of, assay of 205 

water of, quality of 248 

Big Stranger Creek, water of, analysis of ~ 207 

water of, assay of 205 

quality of 249 

Big Sugar Creek, water of, assay of 265 

Bird, W. A. S., work of 13 

Bison, well water at, analysis of 175 

Black Vermilion River, water of, assay of 205 

Blakeman, well water at, analysis of 163 

Blue Rapids, Big Blue River at, water of, 

assay of 205 

well water at, analysis and assay of 135 

Bluff Creek, water of, analyses of 282 

water of, assay of 280 

Boicourt, Osage River at, water of, analyses of . 261 

Osage River at, water of, turbidity of 263 

Sugar Creek near, water of, analyses of. . . 265 

well water of, assays of 120 

Bourbon County, well water in, character of. 58-59 

Bradaock, well water at, analysis of 109 

Breese, E,. A.M., work of 115,130 

Brewster, well water at, anals'sis of 193 

Brown County, well water in, character of. . . 59-60 

Bro^ATiell, well water at, analysis of 148 

Brush Creek, water of, assays of 347 



Page. 

Buckeye Creek, water of, assay of 333 

Bucklin, well water at, analyses of 92 

Buckner Creek, water of, assay of 279 

Buck Run, water of, assay of 265 

Bull Creek, water of, analyses of 265 

water of, assays of 264 

Bunker Hill, well water at, assays of 177 

Burdett, well water at, analysis of 155 

Burlingame, Dragoon Creek at, water of, an- 
alysis of 266 

HooverCreek near, waterof, assays of 264 

well water at, analyses and assays of 150 

Burlington, Neosho River at, water of, anal- 
ysis of 334 

well water of, assays of 333 

assays of 70 

Burr Oak, well water at, analysis and assay of 115 

Bushong, F. W., work of 12, 56, 72, 81, 86, 

102, 142, 165, 178, 204, 206, 211, 217, 
227, 235, 236, 241, 245, 252, 256, 261,268, 
281 , 283-285, 287, 296, 302, 304,- 310, 319 

Bushong, pond at, water of, analysis of 334 

Bushton, well water at, analysis of 169 

Butler County, well water in, character of. .. 60, 61 



Calcium, data on 18 

Caldwell, Bluff Creek at, water of, assay of — 280 

well water at, analysis and assays of. . 191, 192 

Calvert, T. E., work of 13 

Cambridge, creek at, water of, analysis of 282 

Caney, Caney Creek at, water of, analysis of. . 316 

Caney Creek at, assays of 317 

Caney Creek, water of, analyses of 316 

water of, assays of 317 

Caney River, description of 322 

water of, analyses of 316 

assays of 317 

quality of 322 

Canon City, Colo., Arkansas River at, water 

of, assays of 278 

Canton, well water at, analysis of 130 

Canville Creek, water of, assay of 333 

Carbonates, data on 19 

Carbon dioxide, data on 16 

Carboniferous system, description of 23 

Carthage, water of, city supply, analysis of. 351-353 

Castle Hill Creek, water of, assay of 204 

Cavalry Creek, water of, assay of 280 

Cawker, Solomon River at, water of, assays of 204 

well water at, assay of 140 

Cedar Bluffs, Beaver Creek at, water of, as- 

saj's of 205 

well water at, assay of 77 

Cedar Creek, water of, assay of 205 

water of, quality of 249 

Cedarvale, Caney River at, water of, assay of 317 

Cedar Creek at, water of, assays of 317 

well water at, assays of 63 

Cenozoic rocks, description of 30-39 

Center Creek, water of, analysis of 351 

water of, sulphate content of 353 

Chanute, Neosho River at, water of, analysis 

of 334 

Neosho River at, water of, assays of 333 

Village Creek at, assay of 333 

well water at, assay of 145 



INDEX. 



365 



Page. 
Chapman, well water of, analysis and assays 

of 78 

Chapman Creek, water of, assay of 204 

Chautauqua County, well water in, character 

of r)2-63 

Chautauqua Springs, well water at, analysis of 63 

Chase County, well water in, character of 61-62 

Chauvinet & Bro., analysis by 169 

Chemical equivalents of radicles, table of 21 

Cheney, well water at, analysis of 181 

Cherokee, well water at, analyses and assays 

of 74 

Cherokee County, well water in, character of. 63-65 

Cherry Creek, water of, assays of 263, 333 

Cherryvale, pond at, water of, analysis of 316 

Chetopa, Labette Creek near, water of, assay 

of 333 

Neosho River at, assay of 333 

well water at, assay of 123 

Cheyenne County, well water in, character of. 65-66 
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, as- 
sistance of 13, 

66, 69, 74, 149, 159, 163, 167, 197, 206 
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway, as- 
sistance of 13, 60, 67, 68, 69, 74, 78, 

80, 92, 94, 107, 115, 122, 130, 133, 137, 
142, 144, 149, 159, 161, 165, 166, 167, 
171, 178, 181, 183, 184, 185, 186, 188, 
191, 193, 195,201,207-208,281-282,334 
Chico Spring, mine water from, analysis of. 351-353 

mine water from, sulphate content of 353 

Chikaskia River, description of 303 

water of, analyses of 282, 304 

quality of 303 

turbidity of 305 

Chisholm Creek, water of, assay of 279 

Chism Creek , water of, analysis of 206 

Chlorides, data on 19-20 

Church, W. D., analyses by 155 

Cimarron, well water of, analyses and assays of 100 

Cimarron River, description of 305-311 

tributaries of 307 

valley, irrigation in 308 

water of, analyses of 310 

quaUty of 309 

turbidity of 311 

Cimarron " series, " description of 24 

Citnarron Valley, irrigation project, account 

of 308 

Cities, water supply of, consideration of 10 

Clark County, well water in, character of 66-67 

Clarks Creek, water of, quaUty of 248 

Classification of waters 20-21 

Clay Center, well water of, analysis and assay 

of 68 

Clay County, well water in, character of 68 

Clear Creek, water of, assay of 332 

Clearwater, well water of, analyses of 181 

Clements, well water of, analyses of 62, 334 

Clever Creek , water of, assay of 265 

Clifton, well water of, analysis and assay of. . 68 

Cloud County, well water in, character of 68-70 

Clyde, well water at, analyses and assays of. . 69 

Coal Creek, water of, analyses of 334 

water of, assay of 333 

Coal-mine waters, analyses of 358 

sulphate content of 358 



Page. 

Cockins, W. W., jr., work of 13,13& 

Coffey County, well water in, character of 70 

Cofleyville, assistance by 13 

Verdigris River at, water of, analyses of. 314^315 

water of, turbidity of 315- 

well water at, analysis of 141 

Colby, well water at, analysis and assay of. . . 193 

Coldwater, well water at, assays of 71 

Cole Creek, water of, assay of 263 

Collins, W. D. , work of 210 

Collyer, well water at, analysis of 194 

Columbus, Brush Creek at, water of, assay of. 347 

well water at, analysis and assays of 64 

Comanche County, well water in, character of. 70-71 

Comanche series, description of 25 

Concordia, well water at, analyses and assays 

of 69 

Conway, well water at, analysis of 130 

Conway Springs, city water at, assays of 192' 

CooUdge, Arkansas River at, monthly dis- 
charge of 273 

well water at, analyses of 104 

assays of 105- 

Cooperation, plan of 12 

Coronado, well water at, analysis of 199 

Coryville, well water at, analysis of 199 

Cottonwood Falls, well water of, analysis and 

assays of 62 

Cottonwood River, description of 33& 

water of, analyses of .• 334, 337 

assays of 332-333 

quality of 335-336 

turbidity of 337-338 

Council Grove: 

Big John Creek at, water of, assay of 332 

Elm Creek at, water of, assay of 332 

Four Mile Creek at, water of, assay of 332 

Neoshi River at, water of, analyses of 334 

assay of 332 

Slough Creek at, water of, assay of 332 

well water at, assays of 142 

Cow Creek, Crawford County, water of, assay 

of 346 

Cow Creek, Reno County, description of 291 

water of, analysis of 281 

assays of 279 

quality of 292 

Cowley County, well water in, character of. . 71-72 

Cox Creek, water of, assay of 26& 

Crawford County, well water in, character of. . 73-75 

Crenothrix, in water supphes, effect of 16, 17 

Cretaceous system, character of 25-30 

Crooked Creek, water of, assay of 33S 

Crumbine, S. J., work of 12 

Cunningham, well water at, analysis of 120 

Curry, J. E., work of 207 

D. 

Dakota sandstone, character of 25-27 

distribution of 25-27 

water supplies of 27-28 

Davies, H. E., work of 199 

Dearborn Chemical Co., work of 74, 81, 86 

Dearborn Laboratories Co., analyses by... 197,206' 
Dearing, Onion Creek at, water of, assay of. . 317 
Deratur County, well water ao, character of. . 76 
Deer Creek, AUen County, water of,- assay of. . 333 



366 



INDEX. 



Page. 
Peer Creek, Chautauqua County, water of, as- 
say of 317 

Deer Creek, Phillips County, water of, assay 

of 204 

Deerfleld, Arkansas River at, water of, analy- 
ses of 283 

Arkansas River at, water of, turbidity of. 284 

well water of, analysis and assay of 117 

De Graff, Walnut Creek at, water of, analy- 
sis of 281 

Pelaware River, description of 254 

water of, analyses of 207, 256 

quality of 254 

turbidity of 257 

Denver & Rio Grande R. R., work of. 281 

De.xter, Grouse Creek at, water of, analysis of 281 

Diamond Creek, water of, assay of 333 

Dickinson County, artesian water of, charac- 
ter of 43 

well water in, character of 77-79 

Dighton, well water at, assays of 124 

Disease, relation of, to water supply 9 

Dissolved matter, data on 14-20 

Dodge, Arkansas River at, monthly discharge 

of 274 

Arkansas River at, water of, analysis of. . 281 

water of, assay of , 279 

Duck Creek near, water of, analyses of. . . 281 

well water at, analyses and assays of 92-94 

Dole, R. B., work of 210 

Doniphan County, well waterin, character of . 80 

Dorrance, well water at, analysis of 176 

Douglas, well water at, analysis of 61 

Douglas County, well water in, character of. 80-81 

Do-\\Tis, well water at, analysis and assay of. . . 152 

Doyle Creek, water of, analysis of 334 

water of, assays of 333 

Dragoon Creek, water of, analyses of 266 

water of, assays of 263-264 

Drainage, general features of, description of. . 202 

Drift, description of 35-36 

Dry Wood Creek, water of, assay of 205 

Duck Creek, Chase County, water of, analysis 

of 316 

Duck Creek, Ford County, water of, analyses 

of.. 281 

Duck Creek, Lyon County, water of, assay of. 263 

Dudley, E., on water of Morton County 144 

Dunlap, Rock Creek at, water of, assay of 332 

well water of, assay of 1 42 

Durham, well water at, analyses of 133 

Dutch Creek, water of, assay of 280 

D wight, well water at, analyses of 142 

E. 

East Emma Creek, water of, assaj's of . . 279 

Edgerton, well water at, analyses of 266 

Edwards County, well wa er a , character of. 82-83 

EdwardsviUe, well water at, analysis of 201 

Eight Mile Creek, water of, assay of 264 

Eldorado, Walnut River at, water of, assay of. 280 

well water at, analysis and assays of 61 

Elevations in Kansas, range of 22 

Elgin, Caney River at, water of analysis of. . 316 

.pik, Caney River at, water of, analyses of. . . 316 

Caney River at, water of, assays of 317 

well water at, assays of 141 



Elk County, well water in, character of 84 

Elk Creek, Jackson County, water of, analy- 
ses of 207 

water of, assays of 205 

Elk Creek, Neosho County, water of, assay of. 333 

Elk River, description of 321 

water of, analyses of 316 

assays of 317 

quality of 321 

EUinwood, well water at, analysis of 56 

Ellis, Big Creek at, water of, analysis of 206 

well water at, assays of 85 

Ellis County, well water in, character of . . . . 84-85 
Ellsworth, Smoky Hill River at, monthly 

discharge of 215 

Smoky Hill River at, water of, analyses 

of 206 

water of, assays of 204 

well water at, analyses and assays of 86 

Ellsworth County, well water in, character of. 85-86 
Elm Creek, Allen County, water of, assays 

of 332-333 

Elm Creek, Harper County, water of, analy- 
sis of 281 

Elm Creek,. Lynn County, water of, analyses 

of 266 

water of, assays of 263, 265 

Elm Creek, Norton County, water of, analy- 
ses of 206 

Elmdale, Diamond Creek near, water of, 

assay of 333 

well water at, analysis and assays of 62 

Emma Creek, water of, assays of 279 

Empire, Short' Creek at, waterof, assay of 347 

Spring River, assay of 347 

Turkey Creek, assay of 346 

well water at, analysis and assays of 64 

Empire nlining district, stream water of, 

character of 349 

Emporia, Neosho River at, water of, analy- 
ses of , 327-328, 332, 334 

Neosho River at, water of, turbidity of. 328-329 

well water at, analyses and assays of. . . 128 
Englewood, Cimarron River at, water of, 

analyses of 310 

Cimarron River at, water of, turbidity of. 311 

well water at, analysis and assays of 67 

Enterprise, well water at, analysis and assay 

of 78 

Equus beds, description of 34-35 

Erie, well water at, analysis and assays of 145 

Eureka, Fall River at, water of, assays of 317 

well water at, assay of 102 

Eyer, B. P., work of 13 

F. 

Failyers, G. H., work of 64,115,130 

Fall Creek, water of, assay of 280 

Fall River, description of 317 

water of, analyses of 316, 319 

assays of 317 

quality of 318 

turl:^dity of 320-321 

Fall River, Fall River at, water of, turbidity 

of 320 

Falls City, Nebr., Nemaha River at, water of, 

assay of 205 



INDEX. 



367 



Page. 

Fancy Creek, water of, assay of 205 

Fanning, Wolf Creek at, water of, assay of. . 205 

Fay, well water at, analysis of 176 

Finney County, well water in, character of. . 87-90 

Fish, effect of mine water on 358 

Fish Creek, water of, assay of 265 

Flat Rock Creek, water of, assaj's of 333 

Flint Hills, description of 22 

Florence Cottonwood River at, water of, 

assay of 332 

Doyle Creek at, water of, analyses and 

assays of 333, 334 

Spring Creek, water of, analyses of 334 

well water at, analyses and assays of ... . 133 

riow of streams, direction of 22 

Ford County, well water in, character of 91-94 

Fort Hays limestone, description of 29 

Fort Scott, assistance by 13 

Marmaton River at, water of, analyses of. 268 

water of, turbidity of 269 

Mill Creek at, water of, assay of 265 

Rock Creek near, water of, assay of 265 

well water at, analyses of 58 

assays of 59 

Four Mile Creek, water of, assay of 332 

Fowler, well water at, assays of 137-138 

Frankfort, Vermillion Creek at, water of, 

assay of 205 

well water at, assay of 135 

Franklin, E.G., work of 63 

Franklin County, well water in, character of. . 95 
Fredonia, Fall River at, water of, analyses 

of 316 

Fall River at, water of, assay of 317 

well water at, analyses of 199 

Frontenac, well water at, analyses and assays 

of 74 

Fulton, Clever Creek at, water of, assay of. . . 265 

Fish Creek at, water of, assay of 265 

Little Osage River at, water of, assay of. . 265 

well water near, assays of 59 

G. 

Galena,, mine water from, analyses and sul- 
phate content of 351-353 

Shoal Creek at, water of, assay of 347 

Short Creek at, water of, assay of 347 

spring water at, analysis of 74 

Galena mining district, location of 349 

Galva, well water at, analysis of 130 

Garden, well water at, analyses of 89 

well water at, assays of 90 

Garland, Buck Run near, water of, assays of. . 265 

well water at, assays of 59 

Garnett, Cedar Creek at, water of, assay of. . . 264 

city water at, analyses of 266 

North Pottawatomie Creek, water of, 

assay of 264 

well water at, assays of 52 

Gaseous impurities of water, origin of 14 

Gaylord, Beaver Creek at, water of, assay 

of 204 

well water at, assay of 188 

Geary County, well water in, character of 95-96 

Genesee, pond at, water of, analysis of 281 

Geology, outline of 23-49 

Gephart, F., assistance of 361 



Page. 
Geuda Springs, Slate Creek at, water of, assays 

of 280 

Girard, Cow Creek at, water of, assays of 346 

well water at, analyses and assays of 74 

Glenloch, lanthp Creek near, water of, assay 

of 264 

North Pottawatomie Creek near, water 

of, analysis of 266 

Goddard, well water at, analysis of. 181 

Goodland, well water at, analysis of 186 

well water at, assays of 187 

Gorham, well water at, analysis of 176 

Gove, Castle Hill Creek at, water of, assay of. . 204 

well water at, assay of 97 

Gove County, well water in, character of 96-97 

Graham County, well water in, character of. . 97-98 

Grainfleld , well water at, assays of 97 

Grant County, well water in, character of 98-99 

Gray, C. R., work of 13,2,59 

Gray County, well water in, character of 99-100 

Great Bend, Arkansas River at, water of, 

analyses of 285 

Arkansas River at, water of, turbidity of. 286 

Walnut Creek at, water of, analysis of 281 

assay of. ._ 279 

well at, record of 54 

weU water at, analysis of 56 

assays of 57 

Greeley, Pottawatomie Creek near, water of, 

assays of 264 

well water at, assays of 52 

Greeley County, well water in, character of. 101-102 

Greenleaf, city water at, assays of 198 

well water at, analysis of , 197 

Greensburg, well water at, analyses and assays 

of 122 

Greenwood County, well water in, character 

of - 102 

Grinnell, well water at, analysis of 97 

Ground water, direction of flow of 33 

occurrence of 23-49 

quality of 50-201 

Grouse Creek, description of 298 

water of, analysis of 281 

assays of 280 

Groveland, well water at, analysis of 130 

Guilford, Verdigris River at, water of, analy- 
sis of 316 

Gumbo, description of 36 

Gypsum Creek, water of, analyses of 206 

water of, assay of . 204 

Gypsum deposits, descriptions of 49 

H. 

Hackberry Creek, water of, assay of. . — 333 

Haddam, well water at, analysis of 197 

HafEey,C. J.,reportof 138 

Hallowell, well water at, assay of 64 

Halstead, Little Arkansas River at, water of, 

assay of 279 

well water at, analysis and assays of 109 

Hamilton County, well water in, character of 103-105 

Hanover, well water at, assays of 198, 205 

Hard water, mineral content of 15 

Harding, Little Osaee River at, water of, 

analyses of. 266 

Hardness, standard of 20 



368 



INDEX. 



Page. 

Hardpan, desfription of 36 

Harlan, well water at, analysis of 188 

Plarmon, George, work of 255 

Harper, well water at, assays of 107 

Harper County, well water in, character of. 106-107 

Harriman, N. F., work of 13 

Harris, well water at, assay of 52 

Hart, C. G., work of 255 

Harvey County, weU water in, character of. . 108 
Harveyville, Dragoon Creek at, water of, 

analysis of 260 

Haskell County, weU water in, character of. . 110 

Havana, Bee Creek at, water of, analysis of. . 316 

Haworth, Erasmus, work of 13, 32, 40, 157, 260 

Hays, well water at, assays of -. 85 

Health, relation of, to water supply 9 

Healy, well water at, analysis of 124 

Helwig, O. L., work of 13 

Herington, I>une Creek at, water of, analyses 

of 206 

Lime Creek at, water of, assays of 204 

well water at, analyses of 78 

assays of 79 

Herndon, well water at, analysis of 163 

Hiawatha, well water at, assays of 60 

Hill, well water at, assays of 98 

Hoad, W. C, work of 12 

Hodgeman County, well water in, character of. 110 

Hoisington, well water at, analysis of _. 56 

well water at, assays of 56-57 

HoUiday, Mill Creek at, water of , assay of 205 

Kansas River at, water of, analyses 

of 207, 243-245 

water of, turbidity of 247 

Hoi ton. Elk Creek at, water of, analysis of. . . 207 

Elk Creek at, water of, assays of 205 

well water at, analyses and assays of 112 

Holyrood, weU water at, analysis of 86 

Hoover Creek, water of, assays of 264 

Horace, well water at, assays of 102 

Horton, creek at, water of, analysis of 207 

Little Delaware River, water of, assay of. 205 

well water at, analyses and assays of . . . . CO 

Howard, Elk River at, water of, assays of. . . 317 

Rock Creek at, water of, analysis of 316 

Hoxie, well water at, assays of ■ 185 

Hull, E. S., work of 74 

Humboldt, Coal Creek at, water of, analysis of. 334 

Coal Creek at, water of, assay of 333 

Owl Creek, water at, assay of 333 

Hushpuckney Creek, water of, assay of 2G5 

Hutchinson, Arkansas River at, monthly dis- 
charge of 274 

Cow Creek at, water of, analyses of 281 

assays of 279 

well water at, analyses of 165 

a^ssays of 166 

Hutchinson, W. E., work of. . . . 13, 143, 189, 190,307 

I. 

Impurities of water, classification of 14 

Independence, Elk R iver at, water of, analysis 

of ,.. 316 

Elk River at, water of, assay of 317 

Verdigris River at, analysis of 310 

weU water at, analysis of 141 



Page. 

Tola, Elm Creek at, water of, assay of 333 

Neosho River at, monthly discharge of.. 324 

water of, analysis of 334 

Rock Creek at, water of, assay of 333 

well water at, analysis of '. 51 

assays of 51 

Iron, data on 17 

J. 

Jackson County, well water in, character of.. 112 

Jacobs, Lyons Creek at, water of, analysis of. 206 

Jamestown, well water at, analysis of 69 

Jefferson County, well water in, character of. 113 

Jennings, well water at, analysis and assay of. 77 

Jetmore, Buckner Creek at, water of, assay of. 279 

well water at, analyses of : HI 

assay of 112 

Jewell County, well water in, character oL. 113-115 

Johnson, H. L., assistance of 361 

Johnson County, well water in, character of.. 115 

Johnston, well water at, analysis of 191 

Jones, J. W. , on mine waters 359 

Joplin district, location of 349 

Junction, assistance by 13 

Republican River at, monthly discharge 

of 231 

water of, analyses of 233 

quality of 232 

turbidity of 234 

well water at, analyses and assay of 96 

K. 

Kanona, well water at, assay of 77 

Kanorado, well water at, analysis of 186 

Kansas City, Missouri River at, monthly dis- 
charge of 203 

Missouri River at, water of, analysis of... 211 

well water at, analyses of 201, 208, 209-210 

Kansas City, Mo., Missouri River at, water 

of, analyses of 211 

Kansas River, description of 238-240 

monthly discharge of 240, 241 

tributaries of 239, 248-24& 

water of, analyses of 207-208, 243-245 

quality of 241-242 

turbidity of 246-247 

Kansas River drainage system, description 

of 212-257 

Kansas Sanitary League, assistance of 13 

Kansas State Board of Health, cooperation 

of 12 

Kansas Water, Gas & Electric Association, 

assistance of 13 

Kaw River. See Kansas River. 

Kearny County, well water in, character^.. 

of lii>-118 

Kedzil, W. R., work of 51 

Kendall, well water at, analyses of 104 

Kennicott Water Softener Co., assistance of. . 13,. 
56, 69, 78, 96, 112, 113, 120, 130, 133, 147, 165, 
171,178,181,184,195,201,208,211, 281, 334 

Kensington, well water at, analysis of 188 

Kingman, Ninnescah River at, assay of 279 

well water at, analysis and assays of 120 

Kingman County, well water in, character 

of 119-120 



INDEX. 



369 



Page. 
Kinsley, well water at, analyses and assays 

of 83 

Kiowa, Medicine Lodge River at, monthly 

discharge of 301 

Medicine Lodge River at, water of, analy- 
ses of 302 

water of, turbidity of 303 

well water at, analyses and assay of 53 

Kiowa County, well water in, character of. 121-122 

Kiowa Creek, water of, assay of 280 

Kirwin, Deer Creek at, assay of 204 

well water at, analysis and assays of 159 

Knerr, E. B., work of 52,64 

L. 

Labette County, well water in, character of. . 123 

Labette Creek, water of, assays of 333 

Lacrosse, well water at, analysis and assays of. 175 
Lacygne, Elm Creek near, water of, assay of. 265 
Hushpushney Creek near, water of, as- 
say of 265 

Middle Creek, water of, assay of 265 

Osage River, water of, assay of 264 

Sugar Creek, water of, assay of 265 

well water at, assays of 126 

Ladder Creek, water of, assay of 204 

La Harpe, Elm Creek at, water of, assay of. . . 333 

well water near, assay of 51 

Lakeview, lake at, water of, assay of 205 

Martin Creek at, water of, assay of 205 

well water at, assay of 81 

Lakin, well water at, analyses of 117 

well water at, assays of 118 

Lamb, W. A., work of 278-279 

Lane County, well water in, character of. . . 123-124 
Lansing, Missouri River at, water of, analy- 
sis of 211 

Lamed, Pawnee Creek at, water of, analyses 

of 281 

Pawnee Creek at, water of, assays of 279 

well water at, analyses of 155-156 

assays of 156 

Lawrence, Kansas River at, monthly dis- 
charge of 240 

Kansas River at, water of, analyses of 207 

water of, turbidity of 247 

Wakarusa Creek at, water of, assay of. .. 205 

Washington Creek at, water of,, assay of. 205 

well water at, analyses of 81 

assay of 81 

Leavenworth, Missouri River at, water of, 

analyses of 211 

Three Mile Creek, water of, assay of 205 

well water at, analyses and assays of 125 

Leavenworth County, well water in, character 

of 124-125 

Leb' ion, well water at, analysis of 188 

Lecompton, Kansas River at, gage heighus of. 246 

Kansas River at, monthly discharge of. . 241 

Lenora, Elm Creek at, water of, analysis of. . '206 

Leoti, well water at, assays of 199 

Leroy, Big Creek at, water of, assay of 333 

Crooked Creek at, water of, assay of 333 

Long Creek at, water of, assay of 333 

Neosho River at, water of, analysis of... 334 

Turkey Creek at, water of, assay of 333 

well water at, assay of 70 

77836°— wsp 273—11 24 



Page. 

Liberal, well water at, analysis and assays of. . . 183 
Liberty, Verdigris River at, monthly dis- 
charge of ■ 313 

Lightning Creek, water of, assays of 333 

Lime Creek, water of, analyses of 206 

water of, assay of 204 

Lincoln, well water at, assays of 125 

Lincoln County, well water in, character of. . 125 
Lindsborg, Smoky Hill River at, water of, 

analyses of 217 

Smoky Hill River at, water of, turbid- 
ity of 218 

Linn County, well water in, character of 126 

Linwood, Big Stranger Creek at, water of, 

analyses of 207 

water of, assays of 205 

Little Arkansas River, description of 292 

water of, analysis of 281 

assays of 279 

quality of 292 

Little Blue River, water of, assays of 205 

water of, quality of 253 

Little Bull Creek, water of, assay of 264 

Little Cow Creek, water of, assay of 346 

water of, pollution of 347 

Little Delaware River, water of, assay of 205 

Little Labette Creek, water of, assays of 333 

Little Osage River, water of, analysis of 266 

water of, assay of 265 

Little Sugar Creek, water of, assay of 265 

Loess, description of •. 36-37 

Logan, well water at, analysis of 159 

Logan County, well water in, character of. . . 126-127 

Lomax, Osage River near, water of, assay of. . 263 

Salt Creek, water of, analysis of 266 

Long Creek, Coffey County, water of, assay of. 333 

Long Creek, Osage County, water of, assay of. 263 
Long Island, Prairie Dog Creek at, water of, 

analyses of 236 

Prairie Dog Creek at, water of, turbidity 

of 237 

well water at, analysis of * 

Lowell, mine water from, analysis and sul- 
phate content of 351-353 

well water at, assays of 64 

Lower Cretaceous series, description of 25 

Lucas, well water at, assay of 177 

Wolf Creek at, water of, assay of 204 

Lula Brook, water of, assay of 332 

Lyon County, well water in, character of 128 

Lyons, well water of, analyses and assays of. 169 

Lyons Creek, water of, analyses of 206 

water of, assay of 204 

M. 

McCoUum, E., work of 74 

McDaniel, J., work of 320 

McDonald, well water at, analysis of 163 

McFarland, Mill Creek at, water of, analysis of. 207 

well water at, analysis of 195 

McFarland, D. F., work of 95, 140 

McPherson, well water at, analyses of 130 

McPherson County, well water in, character 

of 128 -131 

Maddox, C. S., work of 13 

Madison, Verdigris River t, water of, analy- 
sis of 316 

well water of, analysis of 102 



370 



INDEX, 



Page. 
Magnesium, data on 18 

Manchester, pond at, water of, analyses of 206 

Manhattan, assistance by 14 

Big*Blue River at, monthly discharge of. 251 

water of, analyses of 206, 252 

turbidity of 253 

well water of, analyses and assay of 171 

Wild Cat Creek near, water of, assay of. . 205 
Mankato, well water of, analysis and assay of. 115 
Marais des Cygnes River. See Osage River. 

Marion, Clear Creek at, water of, assay of 332 

Cottonwood River at, water of , assays of . 332, 334 

Lula Brook at, water of, assay of 332 

Spring Branch at, water of, assay of 1.32 

water of, analyses and assays of 133 

Marion County, well water in, character of. . 132-133 
Marmaton, Pawnee Creek near, water of, as- 
says of 265 

"S ellow Paint Creek near, water of, assay 

of 265 

well water at, assays of 59 

Marmaton River, water of, analyses of 268 

water of, assays of 265 

turbidity of 269 

Marquette, well water at, analysis and assays 

of 130-131 

Marsh, M. C, on mine waters 358 

Marshall County, well water in, character of 134-135 

Martin Creek, water of, assay of 205 

water of, quality of 248 

Marvin, F. O., work of 12 

Marysville, Spring Creek near, water of, assay 

of 205 

well water at, assay of 135 

Mastin, Big Blue River at, water of, analysis 

of 208 

Meade, well water at, analysis and assays of. 137-138 

Meade artesian area, description of 40-43 

Meade County, well water in, character of. . 136-138 

Meade salt well, water of, assay of 138 

Medicine Lodge, Elm Creek at, water of, 

analysis of 281 

Medicine Lodge River at, water of, assay 

of 280 

well water at, assay of 53 

Medicine Lodge River, monthly discharge 

of ; 300-301 

tributaries 300 

water of, analyses of 302 

assay of 280 

quality of 301 

turbidity of 303 

Medina, well water at, analysis of 113 

Meeker, R. I., work o'f 278-279 

Melvern, Long Creek near water of, assay of. 263 

Osage River at, assay of 263 

well water at, assay of . . .'. 150 

Mesozoic rocks, description of 25-30 

Metals, effect of mine waters on 359 

Miami County, well water at, character of. 138-139 

Middle Cow Creek, water of, assay of 346 

Middle Creek, Chase County, water of, assay of 333 
Middle Creek, Franklin County, water of, 

assay of 264 

Mill Creek, Bourbon County, water of, analy- 
ses of 206, 207 



Page. 

Mill Creek, water of, assay of 205 

quality of 249, 253 

Mill Creek, Wabaunsee County, water of, 

assays of 265 

Miller, Elm Creek at, water of, analysis of 266 

Miller, M., work of 13 

Miltonvale, well water at, analysis of 69 

Milwaukee, well water at, assay of ; . 153 

Mine Creek, water of, assays of 265 

Mine waters, effect of, on fish 358 

effect of, on metals 359 

from concentration mills, analyses of... 354-356 
Mineral analyses of waters, objects and re- 
sults of 1.5-16 

Mining, use of water in, description of 350 

Minneapolis, Salt Creek at, water of, analysis 

of 206 

Salt Creek near, water of, assay of 204 

Minneola, well water at, analysis of 67 

Mississippian series, description of 23 

Missouri Pacific Railway , assistance of. . 13, 56, 68, 69, 
72, 102, 115, 120, 124, 130, 135, 141, 148, 
152, 156, 159, 167, 169, 172, 175, 180, 188, 
189, 191, 197, 199, 206-208, 211, 281, 334 
Missouri River, at Kansas City, monthly dis- 
charge of 203 

jv^ater of, analyses of 209-210 

discharge of 209-210 

dissolved matter of 209-210 

run-off of 209-10 

suspended matter of 209-210 

Missouri River, water of, analyses of 211 

water of, quality of 203-212 

Missouri River drainage basin, above Kansas 

City, description of 202-212 

Mitchell County, well water in, character of. 139-140 

Moline, pond at, water of, analysis of 316 

Montgomery County, well water in, char- 
acter of 140-141 

Montrose, well water at, analysis of 115 

Morris County, well water in, character of. . 141-142 
Morton County, well water in, character of. . 143 

Morland, well water at, assay of 98 

Mound Creek, water of, assay of 317 

Mound Ridge, well water at, analyses of 130 

Mud Creek, water of, assay of.. 205 

water of, quality of 248 

Muddy Creek, water of, assays of 264 

Mulvane, well water at, analysis of 191 

well water at, assays of 192 

Murphy, E. C, on Fall River floods 317-318 

Muscotah, Delaware River at, water of, analy- 
sis of 207 

N. 

Narka, well water at, analysis of = . . . 167 

Natoma, well water at, assays of ". 152 

Nemaha County, well water in, character of. . 144 

Nemaha River, water of, assays of 205 

Neodesha, Fall River at, water of, analyses 

of 316,319 

Fall River at, water of , assay s of 317 

turbidity of 321 

Neosho County, well water in, character of. . 145 
Neosho Falls, Neosho River at, water of, 

analysis of 334 



INDEX. 



371 



Page. 
Neosho Rapids, Neosho River at, gage heights 

of 328 

Neosho River at, water of, analysis of. . . 334 

Neosho River, description of 322-324 

gage heights of 328 

monthly discharge of 324 

tributaries of 323, 332-347 

water of, analyses of 327-328, 330, 334 

assays of 332-333 

quality of 325 

turbidity of 326, 328-329, 331-332 

Nesgatunga Creek, description of 299 

water of, quality of 299 

Ness, Sunset Lake at, water of, assay of 279 

Walnut Creek at, water of, analysis of. . . 281 

well water at, assays of 148 

Ness County, well water in, character of. . . 145-148 

Newman, A. L., work of 13 

Newton, Emma Creek, water of, assay of 279 

Sand Creek, water of, assay of 279 

well water at, analyses of 109 

Nicholson, James D., work of 13 

Nickerson, well water at, analysis of 166 

Niedler Ford, mine water from, analysis and 

sulphate content of 351-353 

Niles, Saline River at, monthly discharge of. . 225 

Nine Mile Creek, water of, assay of 205 

water of, quality of 249 

Ninnescah River, description o" 292-293 

water of, analyses of 281 

assays of 279 

quality of 293 

Niobrara formation, description of 28 

Norcatur, well water at, analysis of 77 

.North Ottawa, Osage River at, water of, 

analysis of 266 

North Pottawatomie Creek, water of, analysis 

of : 266 

water of, assay of 264 

North Topeka, Big Soldier Creek at, water of, 

assay of 205 

Norton, well water at, analyses and assays of. 149 
Norton County, well water in, character of. . 149 

O. 

Oakley, well water at, analysis and assays of. 127 

Oberlin, Sappa Creek at, water of, analyses of. 235 

well water at, analysis and assays of 77 

Oil refineries, pollution of streams by, manner 

of .- 347 

pollution of streams by, remedy for 348 

Olathe, pond at, water of, analyses of 207 

well water at, assays of 116 

Olcott, well water at, analysis of 166 

Omio, well water at, analysis of 115 

Onion Creek, water of, assay of 317 

Ordway, Colo., reservoir (Arkansas River), 

water of, analysis 281 

Organic matter, data on 20 

Osage, Salt Creek at, water of, analysis oi 266 

Salt Creek near, water of, assay of 263 

well water at, assay of 150 

Osage County, well water in, character of 150 

River, water of, analyses of 261, 266 

water of, assays of 263-265 

quality of 259-261 



Page. 

River basin, description of 257-259 

Osawatomie, Osage River near, water of, 

assays of 2G4 

Pottawatomie Creek near, water of, assays 

of 264 

well water at, assays of 139 

Osborne, well water at, assay of 152 

Osborne County, well water in, character 

of 150-152 

Oswego, assistance by 14 

Deer Creek at, water of, assay of 333 

Hackberry Creek at, water of, assay of. . 333 

Labette Creek at, water of, assay of 333 

Neosho River at, water of, analyses of . . 330 

water of, turbidity of 331-332 

well water at, assays of 123 

Ottawa, Appanoose Creek at, water of, assay 

of 264 

Eight Mile Creek at, water of, assay of. . . 264 

Middle Creek, water of, assay of 264 

Muddy Creek, water of, assay of 264 

Osage River at, gage heights of 262 

water of, analyses of 266 

turbidity of .' 262 

well water at, assays of 95 

Ottawa County, well water in, character of. . 153 

Owl Creek, water of, assays of 333 

Oxidation of minerals, by water, method of. . 350 
Ozark Dome, artesian water from, character of 43-45 

P. 

Padonia, Walnut Creek at, water of, assay of. . 205 

Paleozoic rocks, description of 23 

Palmer, Chase, work of 210 

Paola, Bull Creek at, water of, assays of 264 

Osage River near, water of, assays of 264 

Ten Mile Creek at, water of, assays of 264 

Walnut Creek at, water of, assay of 264 

Wea Creek at, water of, assays of 264 

well water at, assays of 139 

Parker, H. N., work of 13,355 

Parsons, Bachelor Creek at, water of, assay of. 333 

Labette Creek, water of, assay of 333 

well water at, assay of 128 

Pawnee County, well water in, character of. 153-156 

.Pawnee Creek, description of 289-290 

water of, analysis of 281 

assays of 265, 279 

quality of 290 

Peabody, Doyle Creek at, water of, analyses 

of 334 

Doyle Creek at, water of, assays of 333 

Spring Creek, water of, analysis of 334 

well water at, analyses and assays of 133 

Peck, well water at, analysis of 181 

Pendennis, well water at, analysis of 124 

Pennsylvania n series, description of 24 

Peoria, Ottawa Creek at, water of, assay of. . 264 

Permian series (?), description of 24-25 

Perry, Delaware River at, water of, analyses 

of 207,256 

Delaware River at, water of, turbidity of. 257 

Perry, C. D.,work of :.. 13 

Peru, Caney Creek at, water of, ^ssay of 317 

Peru Junction, Caney Creek at, water of, 

assay of 317 



372 



INDEX. 



Page. 
Petroleum, pollution of streams by, manner 

of 347-348 

PMUipsburg, well water at, analysis and 

assays of 159 

Phillips County, well water in, character of. 157-159 

PierceviUe, well water at, analyses of 89 

Pierre shale, description of 29-30 

Pipe Creek, water of, assay of 204 

Piqua, well water at, analysis of 200 

Pittsburg, Middle Cow Creek at, water of, 

assay of 346 

well water at, analysis of 74 

assays of 75 

Plains, well water at, assay of 138 

PlainvUle, well water at, assay of 173 

Pleasanton, Mine Creek near, water of, assays 

of 265 

well water at, assays of 126 

Pleistocene system, character of 34-38 

Plum Creek, water of, assays of 264 

Pollution of streams — 

by oil refinery waste, manner of 347-348 

Sadtler on 348 

by mine waters, outline of S49-361 

map showing 352 

Popcorn Creek, water of, assay of 264 

Porter, F. B., work of 52,199 

Potassium, data on 18 

Pottawatomie County, well water at, char- 
acter of 160 

Powers, W. A., work of 13 

Prairie Dog Creek, description of 235 

water of, analyses of 235 

\ quality of 236 

turbidity of 237 

Prairie View, well water at, analysis of 159 

Pratt, Ninnescah River at, water of, analyses 

of "281 

Ninnescah River at, water of, assays of. . 279 

well water in, analyses and assays of 161 

Pratt Coimty, well water in, character of. . 160-161 

Protection, Bluff Creek at, water of, assay of. . 280 

Cavalry Creek at, water of, assay of 280 

Kiowa Creek at, water of, assay of 280 

well water at, analyses and assays of 71 

Pieramodon beds, description of 29 

Public water supplies, considerations affect- 
ing ■ 10 

Pneblo, Colo., Arkansas River at, water of, 

analysis of 281 

Arkansas River at, water of, assay of 278 

Purgatory River, water of, assays of 278 

water of, quality of 273 

Q. 
Qnality of water, deposits affecting, classifi- 
cation of 45-50 

Quaternary deposits, description of 34-39 

Quenemo, Osage River at, water of, analysis 

of 266 

Osage River near, water of, assay of 263 

well water at, assays of 150 

. R. 

Bago, pond at, water of, analyses of 282 

well water at, analyses of 120 

Eaadolph, Fancy Creek at, water of, assay of. 205 

well water at, assay of 171 



Page. 

Rattlesnake Creek, description of 291 

water of, assays of 279 

quality of 291 

Rawlins County, well water at, character of. 162-163 
Reading, Cherry Creek at, water of, assay of. . 263 

Duck Creek, water of, assays of 263 

Elm Creek, water of, assay of 263 

Osage River, water of, analysis of 266 

water of, assay of 263 

well water at, assays of 128 

Recent deposits, description of 38-39 

''Red Beds," description of 24-25 

Red Bird mine, water from, analyses of 355-356 

Reno County, well water at, character of. . 163-166 
Republic, White Rock Creek at, water of, 

assay of 205 

Republic County, well water in, character of. 167 

Republican River, monthly discharge of 231 

South Fork of, water of, analysis of 205 

water of, analyses of 206, 233 

assay of 205 

quality of 232 

turbidity of 234 

Republican River basin, description of 228-231 

Reserve, weU water at, assay of 60 

Rice County, well water in, character of. . . 168-169 

Rice, E. M., work of 140 

Richfield, well at, record of 143 

Richland, Wakarusa Creek at, water of, anal- 
yses of 207 

Richmond, water near, assay of 264 

Riley, well water at, analyses and assays of . . . 171 
Riley County, well water in, character of. . 170-171 
Rock Creek, Douglas County, water of, 

assay of 205 

Rock Creek, Elk County, water of, analyses of. 316 
Rock Creek, Osage County, water of, 

assays of 263, 265 

Rodgers, A. T., work of 13, 225 

Rooks County, well water in, character of. 172-173 

Rossville, well water at, analysis of 184 

Rush Center, well water at, analysis of 175 

Rush County, well water in, character of. - 173-175 
Russell, Saline River near, water of, assays of. 204 

well water at, assays of 177 

Russell County, well water in, character of. 175-177 
Russell Springs, Smoky Hill River near, 

water of, assay of 204 

well water at, assays of 127 

S. 

Sabetha, well water at, analysis of 144 

Sadtler, S. P., on stream pollution 348 

Saflordville, well water at, analysis of 62 

St. Francis, Repubhcan River at, water of, 

assay of 205 

well water of, analysis and assays of 66 

St. John, Rattlesnake Creek at, water of, 

assay of 279 

well water at, analysis and assay of 189 

St. Louis & San Francisco Railroad, assist- 
ance of 13, 74 

St. Paul, well water at, assays of 145 

St. Regis Club House, water supply of, assay of 57 
Sahna, Saline River at, monthly discharge of. 221 

well water at, analyses of 178 

Saline County, well water in, character of. . 177-178 
SaUne River, description of 219-220 

monthly discharge of 220-221 



INDEX. 



373 



Page. 

Saline River, water of, analyses of 206, 221 

assays of 204 

quality of 221-222 

turbidity of 223 

Saline waters, characteristics of 21 

Salt Creek, water of, analyses of 266 

water of, assays of 204, 263 

Salt Fork of Arkansas River, description of. . 299 
Salt marshes, descriptions of 46 

effect of erosion on 47-48 

locations of 45-49 

source of salt of 47, 49 

Samples, analysis of 11, 15 

collection of 11 

Sampling stations, location of 11 

Sand Creek, water of, assay of 279 

Sand hills, description of 39 

Santa Fe, well water at, assays of 110 

Sappa Creek, water of, analyses of 234-235 

water of, quality of 234 

Saratoga mine, water from, analysis of 361 

water from, effect of, on metal 361 

Sawyer, well water at, analyses of 161 

Scammon, creek at, water of, assay of 333 

well water at, assay of 64 

Scandia, well water at, analysis and assay of. 167 

School Creek, water of, assay of 264 

Scott, Ladder Creek at, water of, assay of 204 

well water of, analyses and assays of 180 

Scott County, well water in, character of. . 179-180 

Scranton, stream water near, assay of 264 

Sedan, Caney Creek at, water of, analysis of. . 316 

Deer Creek at, water of, assays of 317 

Sedgwick, well water at, analysis of 109 

Sedgwick Coimty , well water in , character of. 180-181 

Selden, well water at, analysis of 185 

Selkirk, well water at, analysis of 199 

Seneca, Nemaha River at, water of, assays of. 205 

well water at, assay of 144 

Seward, well water at, analysis of 189 

Seward County, well water in, character of. 182-183 

Sharon, well water at, assay of 196 

Sharon Springs, well water at, assay of 196 

Shaw, Big Creek at, water of, assay of 333 

Canville Creek at, water of, assay of 333 

Elk Creek at, water of, assay of 333 

Neosho River at, water of, assay of 333 

well water at, assay of 145 

Shawnee Coxmty , well water in , character of. 183-184 

Shawnee Creek, water of, assay of 347 

Sheridan County, well water in, character of. 185 
Sherman County, well water in, character of. 185-187 
Shoal Creek, description of 341-342 

water of, analysis of 353 

sulphate content of 354 

Shonganunga Creek, water of, assay of 205 

water of, quality of 248 

Short Creek, water of, analysis of 353 

water of, assays of 347 

sulphate content of 353 

Silica, data on 17 

Silver Creek, water of, assay of 280 

" Sink holes," origin of 11 

Sippy, W. L., work of 245 

Slate Creek, description of 293 

water of, analyses of 281 

assays of 280 

quality of 293 



Page. 

aiichter, C. S. , on Arkansas River 272 

on Cimarron River 308 

work of 229 

Slough Creek, water of, assay of 332 

Smith Center, well water at, analysis of 188 

Smith County, well water in, character of 187 

Smithfleld Ford, Mo., mine water from, anal- 
ysis of 351 

Smoky Hill chalk, description of 29 

Smoky Hill River at Lindsborg, water of, 

analyses of 217 

at Lindsborg, water of, turbidity of 218 

monthly discharge of 215 

water of, analysis- of 206 

assays of 204 

well near, record of 193 

Smoky Hill River basin, description of 212-215 

waters of, quality of 215-219 

Sodium, data on is 

Soft water, local standard of 15 

Soldier Creek, water of, assay of 263 

Solids, dissolved, data on 14-20 

Solomon, Solomon River at, water of, analy- 
sis of 206 

Solomon River at, water of, assays of 204 

well water at, analysis of 78 

assay of 79 

Solomon River, description of 223-224 

monthly discharge of 224-225 

water of, analyses of 205, 227 

assay of ; 204 

quality of 225 

turbidity of 228 

Solvent action of water, character of 14-15 

Somena, Smoky Hill River at, water of, 

analysis of 206 

South Topeka, Kansas River at, water of, 

analyses of 207 

South Winfield, Walnut River at, water of, 

analysis of 281 

Spaulding, H. S., work of 210 

SpearvUle, well water at, analyses of 94 

Spring Branch, water of, assay of 332 

Spring Creek, water of, analysis of 334 

water of, assays of 205, 347 

quality of 253 

Spring River, description of 340-344 

tributaries of 341, 343, 346-347 

water of, analyses of 345, 351-352 

quality of 344 

sulphate content of 353-354 

turbidity of 346 

Stafford, O. F., work of 125 

Stafford, well water at, analysis and assays 

of 189 

Stafford County, well water in, character 

of 188-189 

Stanley mine, water from, analyses of 358 

water from, effect of, on metal 360 

Stanton County, well water in, character 

of 189-190 

Stearin, W. A., work of 12 

Sterling, Arkansas River at, water of, analy- 
ses of 281 

well water at, analyses and assays of 169 

Stevens County, weU water in, character of. . 190 



374 



INDEX. 



Page. 
Stockton, well water at, analysis and assays 

of 173 

Streams, direction of flow of 22 

Strong, Frank, work of 12 

Strong City, Cottonwood River at, water of, 

analyses of 334 

well water at, analysis of 62 

Sugar Creek, water of, analysis of 266 

water of, assays of 265 

Sulphates, data on 19 

Sulphuric acid in mine water, effect of 358-361 

examples of 353-354, 358 

origin of 350 

Sumner County, well water in, character of. 190-192 

Sunset Lake, water of, assay of 279 

Surface waters, lists of 202-347 

Surface water supplies, considerations af- 
fecting 10 

Swayne, Turkey Creek at, water of, analysis 

of 206 

Sweezy, W. E., work of 13 

Sweezy Creek, water of, assays of 205 

Switzler Creek, water of, assays of 264 

Sylvan Grove, Saline River at, water of, 

analyses of 222 

Saline River at, water of, turbidity of 223 

Sylvia, well water at, analysis of 166 

Syracuse, Arkansas River at, monthly dis- 
charge of 273 

Arkansas River at, water of, analyses of. 104-105 
water of, assays of 105 

T. 

Ten Mile Creek, water of, assays of 264 

Tertiary deposits, descriptions of 30-34 

distribution of 30-31 

water supplies of 31-34 

Thayer pond at, water of, analysis of 316 

Thomas County, well water at, character of. 192-193 

Thompson, H. M., work of.- 81 

Three Mile Creek, water of, assay of 205 

Topeka, Kansas River at, water of, analyses 

of 207 

Shonganunga Creek at, water of, assay 

of 205 

vrell water at, analyses of 184 

Topography, outline of 21-23 

Toronto, Verdigris River at, water of. analy- 
sis of 316 

Towanda, Whitewater River at, water of, 

assays of 280 

Trego County, well water in, character of 193-194 

Tribune, well water at, analysis and assay of. 102 
Trinidad, Colo., Purgatory River at, water of 

assays of 278-279 

Truehart, M., work of 279 

Troy, well water at, assays of 80 

Tugua Creek, water of, assay of 263 

Turkey Creek, Cherokee County, water of, 

analysis of 351 

water of, assay of 346 

sulphate content of 353 

Turkey Creek, Coffey County, water of, assay 

of 333 

Turkey Creek, Dickinson County, water of, 

analyses of 206,208 

water of, assays of 204 

Turon, well water at, analysis of 166 



U. Page. 

Underground waters, charactenstics of '. 23-49 

quality of 50-201 

Union Pacific Railroad, assistance of 13, 

78, 86, 96, 97, 126, 160, 176, 178, 
184,193,196,201,206-207, 211 

University of Kansas, cooperation of 12 

Upper Cretaceous series, description of 25-30 

V. 

Valley Falls, assistance by 14 

DelawareRiverat, water of, analyses of. 207,256 

water of, turbidity of 257 

well water at, assays of 113 

Van Winkle, W., work of 210 

Verdigris River, description of 312 

monthly discharge of 313 

tributaries of 316-322 

water of, analyses of. 314-316 

assays of 317 

quality of 313-314 

turbidity of 315 

Vermilion, well water at, analysis of 135 

Vermilion Creek, water of, assay of 205 

Vermilion River, water of, assay of 205 

water of, quality of 248 

Village Creek, water of, assay of 333 

Volatile matter, data on 20 

Volland, well water at, analysis of 195 

W. 
Wabaunsee County, well water in, character 

of 194 

AVaconda, well water at, analyses of 140 

Wakarusa, Wakarusa Creek at, water of, 

analyses of 207 

Wakarusa Creek, water of, assay of 205 

water of, quality of 249 

Wakarusa River, water of, analyses of 207 

Wakeeny, well water at, analyses and assays 

of. 194 

Walden, well water at, analysis of 107 

Wallace County, well water in, character of. 195-196 
Walnut Creek, Barton County, water of, as- 
say of 205 

Walnut Creek, Brown County, water of, as- 
says of 264 

Walnut Creek, Miami County, water of, analy- 
ses of 281 

water of, assays of 279 

Walnut River, description of 290, 294 

monthly discharge of 294 

tributaries of 294 

water of, analyses of 281, 296 

assays of 280 

qualityof 284-285,295 

turbidity of 297 

Wamego, Vermilion River at, water of, assay 

of 205 

well water at, analysis and assay of 160 

Waring, well water at, analysis of 148 

Waring, C. G. , assistance of 361 

Waring, W. G. , work of 356 

on mine waters 357 

Washington, MUl Creek at, water of, analysis 

of 206 

Mill Creek at, water of, assay of 205 

well water at, analysis of 197 

assay of 198 



INDEX. 



375 



Page. 
Washington County, well water in, character 

of 196-198 

Water supplies, of Cretaceous shales, charac- 
ter of 29-30 

of Dakota sandstone, character of. 27-28 

of Pleistocene rocks, character of. 37-38 

of Recent deposits, character of 38-39 

of Tertiary deposits, character of 31-34 

pubUc, considerations affecting 10 

Waverly, well water at, assay of 70 

Wayne, well water at, analysis of ■ 167 

Wea Creek, water of, assays of 264 

Webb City mining district, description of 349 

Weir, well water at, assays of 65 

Weith, Archie, S., work of 12, 62, 117, 

211, 217, 227, 236, 245, 252, 256, 261, 268, 
281, 283, 285, 287, 296, 302, 304, 310, 319 
WeULngton, Slate Creek at, water of, analyses 

of 281 

well water at, analysis of 191 

assay of 192 

Wellsford, well water at, analyses of 122 

Weskan, well water at, analysis of 196 

West Emma Creek, water of, assay of 279 

West Whitewater River, water of, analyses of. 281 

water of, assays of 280 

Wetnore, weU water at, analysis of 144 

Wheeler, W. F., assistance of 361 

White, E. A. , assistance of 361 

White Rock Creek, water of, assay of 205 

White Woman Creek, description of 289 

Wichita, Arkansas River at, water of, analy- 
ses of 281 

Cliisholm Creek at, water of, assay of 279 

well water at, analyses and assays of 181 



Page. 

Wichita County, water of, character of 198-199 

Wickhorst, M. H., work of 13 

Wild Cat Creek, water of, assay of 205 

Willard, J. T., work of 64,115,176 

Willard, well water at, analysis of 184 

Williamsburg, well water at, analysis of 95 

Willow Creek, water of, assay of 347 

Wilmore, Big Mule Creek at, water of, assay 

of 280 

well water at, analysis of 71 

Wilson County, well water in, character of... 199 

Wilson Creek, water of, assays of 264 

Winfleld, Dutch Creek at, water of, assay of. . 280 
Walnut River at, monthly discharge of. . 294 

water of, analyses of 281, 296 

turbidity of 297 

well water at, analyses and assays of 72 

Winona, Smoky Hill River at, water of, assay 

of 204 

well water at, assay of 127 

Wolf Creek, Cofley County, water of, assay of. 333 
Wolf Creek, Russell County, water of, assay of 204 

Wolff, H. C, on Repubhcan River basin 229 

Woodson County, well water in, character 

of 199-200 

Wreford, Lyons Creek at, water of, assay of. . 204 
Wyandotte County, well water in, character 

of 200-201 

Y. 

Yates Center, well water at, assays of 200 

Yellow Paint Creek, water of, assays of 265 

Young, C. C, work of 74 

Yuma, Buffalo Creek at, water of, assay of... 205 



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